Big Miracle (2012) [Blu-ray]
Drama | Romance

Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski star in this incredible rescue adventure - the amazing true story that inspired the world and captured the hearts of millions. When a family of whales is trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle, a small-town reporter (Krasinski) and an animal-loving volunteer (Barrymore) rally an unlikely coalition of Alaskan natives, oil tycoons and the Russian and American military to set aside their differences and free the whales before it's too late. Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney and Ted Danson costar in this charming feel-good movie that the whole family can enjoy!

User Comment: ocjetsfan from United States, 4 February 2012 • This is a slow movie. Prepare to watch people standing around a hole in the ice. If you think gray whales are a waste of time, you won't be moved. On the other hand, if you can pull for a family of marine mammals in danger of freezing to death, you will probably find satisfaction in this movie's numerous charms. You'll enjoy the dignity given to the Inuit people, environmentalists, oil executives, Soviets, journalists, and even Republicans(!) who collaborate in dramatic efforts to save the trapped whales. You'll appreciate the care taken with a late 80's period piece, down to the silk blouses, big glasses, hair, and Peter Jennings. You may even be moved by the warm and unguarded performances of Drew Berrymore, John Kasinksi, and others.

It's possible you may have your heart enlarged by the uncommon efforts of truly diverse people on behalf of beautiful and vulnerable earthlings like the grays. There is an unabashed love for both the whales and the humans portrayed in this movie, whose lives and futures are at stake in a variety of ways. Some may regard this affection as sentimentality, but the sense of humor sustained throughout the film argues against this. Somehow I think the worst-ever portrayal of Ronald Reagan was hardly unintentional. This director definitely has it in for for Minnesotans, too.

My ten and thirteen year-old sons were engrossed by this true story brought to the screen and gave it two thumbs up. My wife and I enjoyed being unembarrassed in their presence throughout.

Simply as an introduction to Barrow, Alaska, the movie is totally worthwhile.

My biggest complaint: Drew Barrymore's lips should be blue when scuba diving in frigid Artic waters.

Summary: We liked it!

User Comment: *** This review may contain spoilers *** Neil Welch from United Kingdom, 17 February 2012 • Based on a 1988 true story (which, apparently, had a more ambiguous ending), Big Miracle tells of a family of three whales which get trapped beneath the ice near Barrow, Alaska, with only a rapidly freezing hole to breathe out of. The mutually antagonistic factions of the oil business, the Inupiat locals, and the environmental lobby combine to try to keep the whales alive until it becomes possible to get them the 5 miles from their breathing hole to open water, augmented (if not aided and abetted) by a sizeable press faction. Even the end of the Cold War gets a look in.

This film arrived with no fanfare and, despite a couple of irritations, proved to be a feelgood movie which I enjoyed.It is very well mounted, with most of the scenes involving the whales and the ice field being convincingly staged. The unexpectedly starry cast all did well, although I found Drew Barrymore's Greenpeace girl a bit excessively preachy (by the time the film finished I had come to the conclusion that she was meant to be), John Kasinsky is a pleasing low-key leading man, and Kristin Bell is happy to portray a shallow young woman of over-riding ambition and little compassion.

It may be a little too leisurely for young children but, otherwise, I think it makes a good family movie despite the fact that the film's title isn't very good.

Summary: Well staged feelgood movie with message.

[CSW] -2.9- If you just grant that the political battles in this film are used just to advance the storyline and that they tried to make a good fictitious story around something that really did happened then you will probably enjoy this film as much as I did. If I mention any of the discrepancies between the real story and this film it would only act as spoilers, so I won't. But do know that the scenery was great and although they didn't develop the characters as well as they could have they did develop them just enough to maintain the storyline. This is a pleasantly mild feel-good movie that is worth seeing at least once.
NOTE: The Inuit names for the whales were Putu, Siku, and Kanik.
[V4.0-A4.0] MPEG-4 AVC - D-Box 8.8/10. -- An 8.8 means that the D-Box was as good as this movie's limited number of action scenes allowed.

º º