The Cove

Documentaries have always interested me for one main reason: either they were going to be awesome or absolutely terrible. I always felt as if there was no in between. They're a "hit or miss" one might say. In the case of The Cove, it was a great success.

In my experience of watching documentaries, they are very different from films. The main difference is that documentaries completely aim to inform viewers about a topic. Some documentaries might only want to inform viewers, while others might want to prove something to viewers. The Cove was a documentary that focused all of its attention on bringing attention to the killing of dolphins off the coast of Japan.

I have very mixed emotions about The Cove. I am currently a biology major with both a chemistry minor and environmental science minor. My pre-professional concentration is in veterinary medicine. It seems as if The Cove would definitely be a documentary that would interest me! For the most part, I was extremely interested, until the very end of the The Cove.

The information, mission, and hopes of the documentary were very well presented throughout the film. Viewers were given the opportunity to get to know the activists on many different levels. Also, the activists did a great job presenting a vast array of information through the use of interviews and on-site footage in Japan. In fact, it seemed as if the majority of the documentary was filmed in Japan. However, The Cove isn't one of those documentaries that just throws statistics and facts at the viewers. There was some of that, but it wasn't too noticeable due to the constant action. Not to sound cruel, but hunting and killing is action that keeps attention. People might not want to watch it, but for some reason they can't look away. Also, the undercover operations that the activists organized were very exciting and added to the interest level significantly.

The bottom line of this documentary, however, was to bring attention to the killings of dolphins off the coast of Japan. Was it done effectively? If people in land-locked North Dakota are watching, I'd say The Cove was definitely a success. The activists were successful because of their organized strategy. They used interviews with government officials, interviews with the general public about radiation and dolphin meat consumption, hidden cameras, and underwater technology to capture valuable and pertinent information. Through all these techniques, the activists were able to tap into the emotions of viewers and spread their message.

As I mentioned before, my emotions were mixed as I watched The Cove. It is apparent that the killing of dolphins off the coast of Japan is not being done in a humane way. For this reason, I was very upset when the documentary showed the killings. Also, since the levels of mercury are very high in dolphin meat, it is concerning that people are eating dolphin. Even more shocking is that dolphin meat was being served in Japanese schools for lunch! However, all progress that this documentary and activists had done was destroyed when Ric O'Barry went into the IWC meeting with a television strapped to his chest. This was the action of a radical activist and not an effective way of spreading the message to influential people.

In the end, The Cove was a very successful film because of the actions taken by activists. They did not sit outside a government building shouting and holding signs. They took matters into their own hands and took many dangerous risks. The risks paid off when the documentary was able to connect with viewers emotionally. This is essential for the success of a documentary and The Cove is a documentary that could really make a difference in the world.