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The Sea Beast (2022 film)
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Wikipedia article
'The Sea Beast' is a 2022 computer-animated adventure film directed by Chris Williams, who co-wrote the screenplay with Nell Benjamin and produced with Jed Schlanger. The film stars the voices of Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. It tells the story of a young orphan girl who joins a group of sea monster hunters on their search for the elusive Red Bluster.
The film began a limited theatrical release on June 24, 2022, before debuting on Netflix on July 8. It received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
For hundreds of years, sea beasts have surfaced to wreak havoc against mankind. In response, sailors venture outward on their ships to hunt the beasts across the ocean, the most famous of these being the crew of "The Inevitable"; led by the legendary Captain Crow, his first mate Sarah Sharpe, and his adopted son Jacob Holland. They are financially backed by the King and Queen of The Crown, who have established a distinguished society dubbed Three Bridges. After being nearly killed during a hunt, Crow tells Jacob that he will make him captain once they kill a female beast known as the Red Bluster that took his eye.
The crew returns to Three Bridges to collect payment for their latest catch, but are told by the King and Queen that they will soon be replaced by a naval vessel named "The Imperator", headed by Admiral Hornagold, who will carry on the hunting of sea beasts in their place. Jacob proposes that his crew be given one more chance to kill the Red Bluster to continue hunting beasts in their name if they succeed, which the King and Queen accept.
After they depart, the crew discovers that an orphan girl named Maisie Brumble has stowed away on the ship to join them, having been inspired to do so by her late parents who died during a hunt. The Inevitable finds and attacks the Red Bluster. Against Crow's orders, Jacob hesitantly allows Maisie to cut a rope connecting the ship to the Bluster, which saves the crew, but lets the Bluster escape and throws Jacob and Maisie into the sea. Angered, Crow holds both of them at gunpoint and demands Jacob bring Maisie to him before the Bluster emerges from the depths and swallows Maisie and Jacob whole.
The Bluster takes Jacob and Maisie to an isolated island populated by several other beasts. Maisie discovers that the Bluster is not malicious and befriends the beast, naming her Red, while also befriending a smaller beast named Blue. Maisie begins to believe that the monsters are really just misunderstood creatures, which Jacob initially denies. Jacob and Maisie convince Red to take them to Rum Pepper island, so they can secure a ship to return to Three Bridges.
Believing Jacob to be dead, Crow seeks out an elderly merchant named Gwen Batterbie, who gives Crow a poison-tipped harpoon powerful enough to kill Red. While on Red's back, Jacob and Maisie bond with the creature and each other, with Jacob growing to support Maisie's belief of the beasts being innocent. They reach Rum Pepper Island but discover that the Imperator and Hornagold are stationed there. Red attacks the vessel, which wounds Maisie in the scuffle. After destroying the Imperator, Jacob momentarily stops Red from killing Hornagold. Red spots the Inevitable and attacks, but is shot with the poison-tipped harpoon and nearly dies, with Crow keeping her alive long enough to bring her to The Crown as a trophy.
Maisie is nursed back to health, but then imprisoned aboard the Inevitable as it arrives at Three Bridges with Red in tow. After Blue frees Maisie, she realizes the hatred of sea beasts is all propaganda created by the Crown. Crow prepares to publicly execute Red before being stopped by Jacob. Crow and Jacob fight, while Maisie and Sarah, who begins to believe Maisie's worldview of the beasts, free Red from her binds. Maisie and Jacob convince Red to spare Crow, subsequently exposing The Crown for their deceptions. After witnessing the passive nature of the beasts, Crow and the rest of the kingdom renounce their beliefs. With Red and the other sea beasts left alone, Maisie, Blue, and Jacob begin their new lives together as a family.
Voice cast
* Karl Urban as Jacob Holland
* Zaris-Angel Hator as Maisie Brumble
* Jared Harris as Captain James Crow
* Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Sarah Sharpe
* Benjamin Plessala as Child 1
* Somali Rose as Child 2
* Kaya McLean as Child 3
* Davis Pak as Child 4 / Villager Boy
* Helen Sadler as Matron / Ms. Beth Merino / Cart Driver
* Xana Tang as Lea the Lookout
* Alex Wyndham as Sailor 1 / Sailor 2 / Villager
* Brian T. Delaney as Jim Nicklebones
* Ian Mercer as Old Nick
* Shannon Chan-Kent as Fen
* Max Mittelman as Young Sailor
* Paul Chowdhry as Surgeon
* Jim Carter as the King
* Doon Mackichan as the Queen
* Dan Stevens as Admiral Eric Hornagold
* Rajia Baroudi as General
* Kathy Burke as Gwen Batterbie
* Emily O'Brien as Villager 1 / Villager 2
* David Lee as Sergeant
* Jason Anthony as Sailor
* Mark Rhino Smith as Various
Production
On November 5, 2018, Netflix announced that Chris Williams will write and direct the animated movie 'Jacob and the Sea Beast'. On November 7, 2020, the film was retitled to 'The Sea Beast'.
Animation services were provided by Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver.
Mark Mancina composed the film's score. Mancina also produced an original song called "Captain Crow" a sea shanty depicting the character written by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe.
Release
In March 2022, Netflix announced its premiere date for July 8, 2022. The film was released in select theaters on June 24, 2022, before its Netflix debut.
Reception
On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating favorable reviews.
References
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