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Review: ‘The Sea Beast’ Will Sail Into Your Hearts

Review: ‘The Sea Beast’ Will Sail Into Your Hearts

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I’ve come to learn that I love pirates, apparently. It’s a shocking revelation, to be sure, but something about a group of seafaring rogues, trapped on a boat who stop being polite and start getting real? It’s just so appealing! There is an epic nature to the idea of being surrounded on all sides but an ocean floor that might as well not have a bottom. 

In the newest Netflix animation film, The Sea Beast, the threat is heightened by the presence of formidable beasts that roam the ocean. We open with a team of “hunters” who are tasked by the monarchy to rid the ocean of these creatures who are said to attack people on the land. The crew of the Inevitable is led by Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), a young man rescued by the ship’s captain when he was just a boy. Sarah Sharpe (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a staunch and hard woman who is not without a bit of heart. Captain Crowe (Jared Harris) is a bombastic gentleman with a good but easily corruptible heart. 

The crew sets out to find The Red Bluster, a giant creature who dwarfs the size of their ship. On the way, they’re surprised by stowaway Maisie Brunble (Zaris Angel Hator). She is a young orphan whose parents died on an infamous ship that lost its battle with the sea beast. She is energized and ready to live a great life and die a great death. This declaration is somewhat sobering to Jacob, who wants to drop her off on the nearest island. However, Captain Crowe says he says a lot of Jacob in the young girl, saying she’s “all vinegar.” 

A series of events find Jacob and Maisie swallowed by Red and taken to an island full of differing creatures. While there, they learn that history truly is written by the people who have the means to print and distribute. This leads to life-altering revelations and both have to figure out what life looks like moving forward. 

There are so many beautiful things about the film. I had the pleasure of attending a screening with a Q&A after with most of the creative team. Writer and director Chris Williams (who also directed Moana and Big Hero 6) said that media like Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and N.C. Wyeth’s paintings were both huge influences. The world is animated but so life-like. I must stress that there are no uncanny valleys to be found.

Production designer Matthias Lechner said that realism has a different meaning in animation. You’re not thinking three-dimensionality, but rather the weight items hold and the space they take up. The art and sound design really put you in the space, and the characters are real — in a way that you recognize them immediately for who they are.

Other stand-outs are the lighting and color. There’s a scene with a large Blood moon, and the sky has a dreamy aesthetic. Most swoon in its wake, but Sarah Sharpe is wary. This shows the experience these sailors have with the sea. The love they have for it and, most importantly, the respect. 

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VFX Supervisor R. Stirling Duguid (pronounced Do-Good — and he certainly lives up to his name) lived on a ship for two and a half years as a child with his family. He knows the importance of authenticity with an atmosphere like the sea. He mentioned that out of the 43 sequences in the film, only four didn’t have any water. There are almost 800 ocean shots and 719 shots, which took place on the main ship. Everything is moving all of the time and it created a huge task for the animators. 

While I, thankfully, never felt seasick, there were times of tension when a sailor was stuck underwater. You could feel the panic, and the pressure was all-encompassing. For any film, this is a feat, but for an animated film, it’s pretty genius. The water affected everything, including the people. 

Every character had multiple versions of themselves. One was specified as wet and the other dry. I want to pivot a moment to talk about diversity and inclusion in this film. Women are in positions of power throughout and are equally respected. Our main character and first officer are both Black women. It seems like a small thing, but there are a few things that stand out:

  1. They’re not related
  2. They have different skin tones
  3. They have different hair textures

This shouldn’t be revolutionary, but it is. The care is taken to understand why Sarah Sharpe, someone who spends the bulk of her life in the sun, would be darker complected to Maisie is something most people don’t take time to notice. The way their hair differs between being wet and being dry, the way the wind blows it, etc, is all so big. It’s one thing to see a Black girl as the lead, but to see a Black girl who presents like an everyday Black girl is truly a gorgeous thing. Sarah’s commanding presence makes her an immediate hero for Maisie and probably for any other young girls watching. The production worked with photographer Lelanie Foster to help curate the looks.

This is why the wet/dry aspect is so interesting because things like wrinkles, smile or frown lines, and clothing were all given consideration based on an environment that is 90% water. If anything, you should watch The Sea Beast just for the technical genius, though it’s just as easy to become rapt at the story and excellent character development. 

I really loved this film and I look forward to seeing it on Netflix across the world. It’s exactly the right way to portray a bygone era and it feels timeless and lasting in its execution. 

The Sea Beast will premiere on July 8, 2022, on Netflix


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