Film Analysis Essay on Perfect Storm

Published: 2021-07-07
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Middlebury College
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Movie review
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This film is based on a true story which tells of the brave men and women who endanger their lives daily, pitting their rescue vessels and fishing boats against the unforgiving forces of nature. This movie is well crafted, and the message is apparent, it explains about accidental and incidental occurrences whereby a fishing society faces some natural disasters, and the community is therefore forced to take several risks to survive. The director of this movie Wolfgang Petersen designed two characters George Clooney, and Mark Wahlberg who featured as regular fishermen and both had their family and friends living in Gloucester town. The first half of the movie tells about George Clooney who is a retired long-line captain and this time he needs a big catch to redeem his lost glory, however, in his process of getting the much-needed catch he faces a massive storm. The second half of the movie, explains the struggles of George Clooney and his crew as they try to get back to their homes and also includes the actions of the Coast Guards as they attempt to rescue people across the Atlantic Ocean during the massive storm.

The script and the performances are powerful, and the director has done a good job in realizing the characters. And from the actions of these characters, we can determine the values of work which have been expressed in this film. In this case, George Clooney conveys a heroic gravity in the picture because of his role as the captain of the boat. His actions in the sea explain that the dangers and the agonies the sword fishermen often face in the sea is not just for the money but also includes other issues such as their tragic romance and vocation of the sea. Despite the warnings by the meteorologists, Clooney and his crew fearlessly advance towards the heart of the mighty storm. One of the most significant values about work we see in this film is through the determination Clooney, and his crew had, they understood the incoming danger, but that didnt deter them from achieving their objectives. As the movie proceeds, we see six courageous fishermen fighting for survival with all their skill, heart and tenacity, the storm is unrelenting, and only six of them are remaining on the boat. Now at this point, these fishermen are left with two options: try to salvage their pride and income by navigating through the storm or wait for the storm to calm down and in the process letting the fish they caught to spoil. The fact that they decided to navigate through the storm indicates the braveness and the confidence these fishermen had in their work.

The leading character George Clooney had always been unsuccessful in catching fish, on the other hand, his colleagues were often getting a fortune. When Clooney sees the difference between his catch and those of his counterparts he gets convinced that the next round he will score the huge haul. And this motivates him and his crew to go on one final run before the end of the season. However, the Mother Nature had different plans for him. The motivation we see in Clooney represents the positive attitude he had in his job. Despite the unsuccessful spells in his work, he was optimistic that one more round could be a redemption shot for him. The most interesting thing about this movie is not the plot, but the actions of the captain and the crew. They have a complete understanding of their job, and despite the danger and the harm that commercial fishing brings forth, they continue to risk their lives daily. The love they have for their jobs is incredible, and their attitude towards fishing is unmeasurable, sword fishers would rather risk their lives than to quit.

There are some scenes in the movie which stood out than the rest, particularly the ones which were showing Clooney and his crew. At one point, the ice machine breaks down, and their catch is due to spoiling if they do not get to the port quickly. Therefore they have to devise appropriate plans to ensure that they get to the port safely and with their catch in good shape. We see Clooney explaining that either they stay here or drive through the storm. And the crew collectively decides to drive through the monster storm without knowing how big the storm. The images of the heavy storm hitting their vessel mercilessly and the scared faces of the fishermen in the middle of the sea were enough to make me understand that fishing is indeed a dangerous affair and we should always respect the fact that we can be able to get fish on our table.

Therefore, it is important for all people to understand that work is imperative for our livelihood. However, we should not do work only for financial gains. Sometimes we may want to have a special connection to our jobs. Just like the way Clooney and his crew members were committed to their work, people should have the right attitude and values about their respective works too.

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