Search - Luna: Spirit of the Whale on DVD

A tale of a whale

R. Kyle | USA | 08/11/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"When his father dies, Mike Maquinna (Adam Beach) returns to his tribe for the funeral. The problem is, the band and his Mom (Tantoo Cardinal) expect him to stay and become Chief. He left the reservation for good reasons--to get a job and to sober up. He's not real sure he can come back.



Then, the whale shows up. According to Bill (Graham Greene) the orca is the spirit of Mike's father. Mike isn't sure, but he knows the tribe has to save the whale and possibly save it from the machinations of the Canadian fisheries Department.



This story is based on a true tale. The acting is superlative, what can you say about Beach, Greene, and Cardinale that hasn't already been said? The scenery is gorgeous, too. The film was made in the Vancouver, BC area and no place is as gorgeous. The movie is clearly made for television. You can see the rough cuts between scenes, which is pretty distracting to the flow of the story. In addition, teh soundtrack is a disappointment. Plus, the music is occasionally overmodulated and too loud to know what is going on.



Rebecca Kyle, August 2008"

A 'People Movie' - Not Just an Animal Movie

Artist & Author | Near Mt. Baker, WA | 05/26/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was surprised by this movie; it turned out to be much better than I expected. I thought it would be just another 'animal rights' movie. Instead, it really is about the Mowachaht/Muchalaht people on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and their traditional tribal beliefs about death. In this case, a chief had recently passed away, and the tribe believed that his spirit came back in the form of a killer whale. There are quite a few well-known First Nations actors in this movie as well. So, while the title is named after the whale in question, it is more about the people affected by the whale's unusual behavior.



This movie is based on a real incident that we followed as it was happening. [At the time we lived in 'Hollywood North,' Vancouver, BC.] I think people who like nature or who are interested in various cultures will find this movie to be well worth watching."

Family Fun

Nancy Cayford | 04/05/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Learn a little about the Vancouver Island Indian people by watching this film with your children. The photography is stunning, and the story line holds your attention. The film will appeal to environmentalists, wildlife enthusiasts, and to those who want to know about the culture of indigenous people.

We are using it in a film festival for those reasons.

Nancy in NH"

Fiction

Bob | seattle | 03/18/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This movie is based on real life story, but does not tell the real story. The whale was killed by a tug boat because he was not allowed the chance to reunite with his family. The bad guys in this story actually are the ones that were able to reunite Springer (another orphaned killer whale) back to her pod, where she is still happy and healthy today. Luna died a needless death due to an agenda that did not put what was best for this whale first."