Go see this movie. Really, Big Miracle proved to be a big surprise under the surface – far beyond that of just a rescue story about 3 whales trapped under the Artic Ice in Alaska. This flick captured me in the first few minutes and never lost my attention as it was wrapped in layers upon layers of drama, ambition, love, and culture.
Big Miracle opens in theaters on February 3rd, 2012 and is based on the true story from 1988 about the media blitz that ensued as both the US & even the Soviet Union attempted to rescue 3 whales trapped under the Arctic Ice during the height of the Cold War.
Honestly, there is so much more to movie than just the whale rescue. Yes, the desperate attempts to rescue these whales as time was running out had me on the edge of my seat – and this will be super exciting for the kids too. However, it was everything else that totally won me over. Think comedy randomly spread throughout the movie. A beautiful frigid setting in small town Alaska -and yes the ENTIRE movie was filmed in Alaska too. The 1988 time period of the film that was complete with Walkman’s, big hair, Lee press on nails, tv dinners while watching the news, and even the inclusion of real news footage with the likes of Tom Brokaw and many other familiar faces. For those of us who lived the 80’s this piece will just speak to you in a way I can’t quite explain.
And let’s not forget the stellar performances of a top cast ranging from Drew Barrymore as the fanatical environmentalist desperate to save the whales, the comedic guy next door John Krasinsk as the Alaskan News reporter who first breaks the whale story – who also just happens to be Drew Barrymore’s ex-boyfriend, Kristen Bell as the ambitious and beautiful news reporter who heads to Alaska from LA hoping for fame but is totally unprepared for temperatures that are 50 below zero, Dermot Mulroney as the “hottie” National Guard military man trying to break the ice to save the whales, and Ted Danson as the money hungry oil man who ends up trying to save the whales – both to get some good PR and then because you can’t help but care once you see those beautiful creatures trapped under the ice.
Kids ages 5-6+ will likely love this movie for the sheer “whaleness” of it all. My kids didn’t see this movie with me as I saw in Los Angeles for the press event, but I have friends who took their children (aged 5 and 8 ) to an early preview last weekend and the kids were thrilled declaring it their new favorite movie.
And yes this flick is a bit of a tear jerker but in a feel good kind of way. It will leave you wanting to rescue the whales, do more for the environment and read the book by Tom Rose, Big Miracle, also based on this same true story.
Learn more about Whales and enter a few Big Miracle Giveaways
Brush up on your whale facts by visiting the Big Miracle Infographic. Plus check out the very special Twitter Sweepstakes featured within where 100 randomly selected Twitterers who follow @UniversalPics and include the hashtag #everybodyloveswhales will win a Big Miracle T-shirt!
BIG MIRACLE is now on Pinterest! Check out the film’s boards at http://pinterest.com/
Disclosure: Thanks to Universal Pictures for paying for my travel expenses for this lovely stay in Santa Monica to attend the Big Miracle Press junket. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.