The Cove

Shot rivetingly by cinematographer Brooke Aitken, who combines digital, night-vision and thermal-imaging formats into a formidable package, the footage is edited tautly by Geoffrey Richman and enhanced measurably by J. Ralph's suspenseful score. more

There are many documentaries angry about the human destruction of the planetary peace. This is one of the very best -- a certain Oscar nominee. more

Not only does it deliver a powerful message, but it is wrapped in an immensely entertaining package. more

At once an astonishing feat of advocacy filmmaking and a white knuckle eco-thriller; think Michael Moore meets Michael Mann. more

What's so remarkable about Louie Psihoyos' documentary The Cove isn't just that it's a powerful work of agitprop that's going to have you sending furious e-mails to the Japanese Embassy on your way out of the theater. That's definitely true, but the effectiveness of The Cove also comes from its explosive cinematic craft, its surprising good humor and its pure excitement. more

The end of The Cove is as rousing as anything from Hollywood. Manipulative? Sure--but isn't that fitting? Capitalism has driven an entire village to massacre dolphins and keep its work hidden. more

Eco-activist documentaries don't get much more compelling than The Cove, an impassioned piece of advocacy filmmaking that follows "Flipper" trainer-turned-marine crusader Richard O'Barry in his efforts to end dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan. more

The Cove is properly enchanting, horrifying, and rousing, but it comes dangerously close to making the narcissistic case that dolphins deserve to be saved because they're cute and breathe air like we do. more

Like the director's cover story, the movie is a Trojan horse: an exceptionally well-made documentary that unfolds like a spy thriller, complete with bugged hotel rooms, clandestine derring-do and mysterious men in gray flannel suits. more

Two fins up for The Cove, a documentary that whales on evil Japanese fishermen who kill dolphins for lunch meat. more

The Cove is a heartbreaking documentary. Heartbreaking documentaries are a dime a dozen but The Cove is also uplifting, inspiring and above all exciting. Richard O'Barry's story needs to be told, spread the word before it's too late. The only criticism I have for this awesome documentary is that it could have done with issuing instructions on how to support the cause. Many documentaries pull at the heartstrings and ask for support, but this is the only one so far that has got me to put my hand in my pocket and donate! A must see education. more

Both thrilling and devastating, this daring documentary exposes the revolting covert massacre of dolphins in Japan, urging us to act against the horrors that men do to animals all over the world. Some may feel that the filmmakers' arguments are not very consistent, but no one can deny there is a vast material here for discussion. more

Shocking is the word that this documentary is trying to get out. This movie kept me glued to the very end and you will see some unbelievable scenes that will shock you and disgust you. I don?t want to give anything away because if you don?t know too much about this then the shock value is a 10+!! I urge anyone that if you watch only one documentary this year then this as to be the one! more

Probably the best espionage thriller of the last 20 years. It just so happens to be a documentary. The Cove succeeds in delivering it's important message by knowing when to crank up the intensity. One of the documentarians compares his group to Ocean's 11. As his group assemble reconnaissance information in order to place cameras so they can film the slaughter of dolphins. There are a lot of messages that come with this film and it isn't all 'tree hugging hippy crap', there are the cultural and health implications as well. It builds to a shocking and disturbing ending, but one that will... more

Manipulative and overly glossy, but it does a fantastic job illustrating a problem that really has no reason for existing and presenting it in a way that will really get people fascinated with the material. I'm not sure if the histrionic music and shameless calls to action are documentary standards now, since I don't watch too many of them, but The Cove's hyperactive sense of involvement seems to make it a perfect candidate for a certain golden statue. I'm sure the Academy could find better documentaries if it looked harder, but this has about as much public appeal as the genre can muster. more

Forget about Ethan Hunt. Forget about Jason Bourne. You can even forget about James Bond. The name you really need to remember is Ric O'Barry. In The Cove, O'Barry--a former dolphin trainer and technical adviser for hit television show "Flipper"--orchestrates one of the most brazen and dangerous missions I've ever seen on film. And it just so happens to be a real-life mission. No fiction here, people. This documentary about the plight of dolphins in Japan and around the world plays out like a spy caper than it does a straight-to-DVD sequel to The Little Mermaid. There are thrills and... more