DOLPHIN TALE (2011)

Genre: Drama/Family
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Cast: Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson, Nathan Gamble, Rus Blackwell
RunTime: 1 hr 53 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.dolphintalemovie.co.uk/

Opening Day: 29 September 2011

Synopsis:  "Dolphin Tale" is inspired by the remarkable true story of a courageous dolphin named Winter and the compassionate people who banded together to save her life.

Movie Review:

If it wasn’t for the recent controversy surrounding a renowned resort and its upcoming dolphin attraction, this movie wouldn’t be deemed timely by this columnist. We’ve seen a whole lot of inspirational movies about man and animal, and honestly speaking, this one didn’t arouse much interest initially.

How much new material can one expect in a movie telling the story of a boy and a bottlenose dolphin he befriends? What emotions can be milked from a movie which carries the age old message of the close relationship between man and animal? How many more times can filmmakers move its audiences by featuring extreme close ups of man and animal having a close knit bond? Besides, when it comes to marine creatures, nothing can beat the classic Free Willy (1993).

Cynicism aside, this family drama manages to impress this reviewer with a genuine charm. And that says a lot in this day and age where viewers are no longer easily swayed by movies made with the intention of inspiring people.

Inspired by the true story of Winter, a bottlenose dolphin who was rescued off the Florida coast and taken in by a local marine aquarium, this Charles Martin Smith (Air Bud) directed production injects additional feel good elements to increase the appeal to mainstream audiences. The screenplay by Karen Janszen and Noam Dromi has a young boy befriending the injured dolphin who loses its tail after being entrapped in a crab trap. He motivates everyone around him to save the marine mammal by creating a prosthetic appendage to replace its missing tail.

Somewhere in the mix we have a vet who rescues the dolphin and brings it to the marine hospital he runs, a mother who supports her son’s meaningful cause, and a doctor who designs the prosthetic tail for the dolphin. To create an even wider reach, the writers also included an adorable little girl to provide companionship for the protagonist, a teenager who becomes handicapped after being enlisted in the army, as well as a comic relief in the form of a nosey bird.

One gets the feeling that the movie is going all out to please every viewer with its wide array of characters. Of course, the overarching theme of the friendship between man and animal is the 113 minute production’s highlight, and Smith never loses sight of that. The director also makes sure that he doesn’t dwell to much on melodrama, allowing his audiences to adequately feel for the bond between the boy and the dolphin.

The ensemble cast includes Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson and Morgan Freeman, who deliver fine performances. Points also go to child actors Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff who do not overact. The real star here is Winter, who plays itself in the feature film. You feel like you are reliving the dolphin’s tale through the movie, and you are right beside the humans who are genuinely concerned for its well being. The 3D effects are nicely used in some of the movie’s underwater sequences, where you go along for a ride with the dolphin, who has now become a movie star.

The movie is an educational tool for the young ones, and an inspiring tale for the adults. The production’s call to action for its audiences to preserve marine creatures is a strong one, and if you are interested to find out more about this true tale of inspiration, visit www.seewinter.com.

Movie Rating:  

(A genuinely inspiring tale which will appeal to both kids and adults)

Review by John Li