At the Edge of the World

This is the chronicle of Operation Leviathan (2006-07), the third campaign of Sea Shepherd against the illegal Japanese commercial slaughter of whales in The Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.

Operation Leviathan was one of the more "true" campaigns, before all the hype from Whale Wars and so on hit the mass media. I say true in the sense of having less resources available and the will to do what's right guided only by your heart rather than publicity and public opinion.

In a personal note, I find very strange how some people call this terrorism. Odd terrorists these are, who seek the defense of life and don't hurt any living creature. If you want to see terrorism, go to any abattoir or farm (see Conklin Dairy Farms videos). Simply put, the USA government created a state of paranoia since 9/11 in order to control citizens, get rid of civil rights and take out of the scene any dissident who put life over other state interests (money). I can only assume that those who shout terrorism are either brainwashed or part of the government.

Apart from that, to call those who fight to preserve life terrorists is not only an insult to any intelligent creature and all the billions of animals who are absurdly put through unspeakable suffering and murdered with no regret, but to every single person who was hurt or died because of real terrorist attacks.

This film is for people who aren't afraid to see the truth. It will be inspirational and spirit lifting to know that there are still heroes alive fighting for a greater good without looking for anything in return.

I am not anti-Watson, in fact I find him admirable insofar as his activism goes, a small effort focused primarily on saving cutsie animals rather than addressing root causes. Not that isn't what most of environmentalism has been about since its inception. However, I was hoping for something in this film--mainly a story of some sort. While this film is very beautiful visually with lots of striking images of the antarctic ocean, the events captured in the film are rather dull--it reminds me more of an extended whale wars episode than a feature film. There is much too much crew whining about this and that, just like the show. I suppose it's included to create some drama, since the film is mostly about running about the ocean looking for a whaling ship target, but after a while the whine does grate on the nerves. Not unlike the show, which is also why I never really watched an episode of that show all the way through. Frankly, Deadliest Catch was more engaging...

So back to this film. If its great images of the antarctic ocean, this is your film. However, if you want to learn about the activism of the Sea Shepherd Society and learn about the crew beyond their griping, a more entertaining, story based take on the Sea Shepherd can be had in these other films: Confessions of an Eco- Terrorist and Eco-Pirate.

"At the Edge of the World" is an unscripted, timeless, documentary window into an otherwise unseen, often harrowing, ongoing morality play on the frigid Ross Sea. What would you do? The director Dan Stone includes you as a member of the everyman and every-woman crew. Events unfold and tell the saga of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's two flimsy, non ice-burg rated ships. On a shoe string budget, the Farely Mowat and the Robert Hunter clash with the mighty Nisshin Maru and its supporting armada. At a million dollars a whale and a thousand butchered last year alone, all appropriate strategies and tactics are resourcefully applied to end the hunts.

With a self stylized Jolly Roger on the bow and a skeleton crew of 50, mostly volunteers from 15 countries and various expertise take on the odyssey. Seasoned and steady hand Sea Shepherd founder, Captain Paul Watson (co founder of Greenpeace and a former member) marshals his forces. Young archetypal fellow Captain Alex Cornelissen, the dedicated crew and on shore media contacts are not simply there to bear witness. Intervention between the so called research ship with harpoon at the ready and the whales swimming in the internationally recognized and protected, but until now unpatroled sanctuary, is the only course of action. This is a law enforcement organization and effort.

Having never an injury or death caused to either side, the crew of scruffy raiders fearlessly set out in zodiacs and use all manner of stink and smoke bombs and propeller foulers. Artfully executed precision maneuvers run interference and set up some metal grinding, ship to ship broad side contact caused by the whalers. The risks are unbelievable.

"At the Edge of the World" is more than a simple anti-whaling documentary, it gets out of its own way. An eye opening, subtle, authentic and complete film, it stays with you long after you are on dry land. With its breath taking cinematography and jaw dropping footage, the film is about individual empowerment. The Sea Shepherd crew are the heroes in all of us. It is about what you can do (with regards to anything in life) or not. It's your choice. What will you do?

Dan Stone's film, "At the Edge of the World", is a sincerely inspiring documentary of a heroic journey set forth by the under-supported, under-funded Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The organization's volunteer crew members, from all types of backgrounds and professions, risk their lives in hopes of protecting the illegally hunted whales that are located in the vast Antarctic ocean territory.

The film captures modern-day true-life heroes engaging together in their efforts to stave off the Japanese hunting vessels that are under the guise of 'research' in order to illegally slaughter whales for profit. A strong sense of purpose and group-member support among all those involved comes across clearly on screen.

Following the courageous, passionate, and determined crew members, are the just as brave, bold, and courageous cameramen who capture the heroic actions on film - some moments of which are hair raising! Also as captivating, and nothing less than breathtaking, is the cinematography of the vast Antarctic landscape, its majestic icebergs, crystal blue waters, and its beautiful wildlife.

Enhancing the film's emotive quality is the music selection. The soundtrack creates the perfect atmosphere for each scene in which the music is placed. Nothing is over or under done.

"At the Edge of the World" is a film that is a must-see on the big screen due to the expansive landscape, action scenes, and cinematography; and is also one I am sure to purchase when released to DVD in order to have it on hand for viewing whenever in need of a boost of inspiration.

This movie goes where few have gone before. Literally, into the void of the Antarctic Ocean. Specifically, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Documentaries usually are these seemingly long accounts with celebrity voice over narratives that explain what is occurring as you passively watch. The Edge of the World is none of that. This film documents through action and adventure, the struggle between the Lilliputian Navy of the Sea Shepherd Organization and the whaling vessels of the nation of Japan (Harpooning upwards of 1000 whales in the sanctuary each year, ostensibly for research). A David and Goliath epic of biblical proportion. This film places you right on the ship alongside a crew of volunteers from all walks of life, for this mission. The rag tag Sea Shepherd fleet of two rust-bucket ships with aging engines and electronics, a few inflatable Zodiac, dingy size boats with outboard motors, and a gnat sized helicopter sets out to search the vastness of the millions of square miles of frigid ocean in the hopes of finding the Japanese whaling fleet. Needless to say, you are taken along for the ocean ride of your life. This is not your reality TV show where you are the spectator to a contrived plot or where you are shamelessly emotionally manipulated at key sections in the film. What the crew feels, you feel, because the directors and editors brilliantly weave you into the situations shipboard. You are elated that you are finally off on this mission to disrupt the slaughter of whales in this pristine sanctuary. You feel the biting below zero cold as you chip off the ice covering everything after a devastating storm. By the way, you definitely experience the rolling and pitching and seasickness right along with the crew during the storm. You are anxious, not being able to find the Japanese main processing ship. They have superior technology to evade your efforts. Yet, finally you make contact and pursue. The chase is on, cat and mouse, and ironically, you are the cat. However the Japanese captain is cunning. I suggest you see the movie to appreciate the ending.

If you think you are going to be stuck below decks on this voyage, think again. The stunning beauty of this wilderness is breathtaking. The film has one two awards for cinematography. There are so many harrowing life threatening events on this adventure it is hard to single out only a few. The crew seems to think these are a matter of course. Not!!!. For instance, there is a scene with this little soup can of a helicopter flitting about looking for the Japanese fleet when the pilot radios in that he has to land because he has fumes in the gas tank "so slow down the ship, I can only land this once". No aircraft carrier, no jet hooks, just a bobbing moving ship and a garage door size platform to land on. Nerves of steel as far as I am concerned. A second scene that stops your heart is when one of the zodiacs on a mission to slow down the Japanese ship they were pursuing goes missing. The two volunteers on this little tub toy are in the middle of an unknown nowhere. This inflatable isn't even a blip on the screen. The weather turns bad and the visibility ends at the tip of your nose. A stomach turning 8 hour search ends on a fortunate note. Perhaps I would have volunteered for something like this in my younger days. But after watching their reality, I am very comfortable viewing the movie in a theatre than being there, knowing that in that hostile environment one misstep and your life is over.

The Edge of the World is currently (at the writing of this review) doing the film festival circuit. It has won numerous awards, both here in the United States and abroad. In my opinion, documentary films need less third person narrative and more of the "bring me along with you" that you get when you watch this movie. When you get to see this film on the big screen, (I have not read anything about a general release date yet), you will need to stay right through the credits. True to form, you are pleasantly surprised at how the filmmaker continues to add depth to who the crew are, and where they call home. (I think it is called back-story in movie jargon). Speaking of back-story, there is also a back-story as to how the film has matured since its first festival in Toronto.

The producer, Dan Stone, has continued, based on audience reaction and his own personal conviction, to hone and improve The Edge of the World throughout the usual festival circuit. Most producers, I assume, don't continue to better the entertainment value and message, once the film is, as they say, in the can. As luck would have it, last year, I was fortunate to see the film that was presented in the Toronto festival and recently, the final version that was shown at the Los Angeles festival. This film has undergone its own metamorphosis, and is the better in both entertaining us as an audience and in bringing the message of individual empowerment to face seeming insurmountable odds. The Edge of the World makes the journey worthwhile on both accounts.