Review: Orca (2022)

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Synopsis: A young Iranian woman Elham (Taraneh Alidoosti) having reached the lowest point in her life, fights back against an abusive spouse and religious and governmental obstacles to set the Guinness world record in endurance swimming.

No, I'm not talking about the campy 70's killer whale movie. This Orca is inspired by the true story of Elham Asghari, an Iranian woman whose country refuses to recognize her accomplishments because they do not recognize swimming as a woman's sport. This film is equal parts frustrating and inspiring.

It's frustrating because the goalposts are constantly being moved for Elham. First by the time she can swim, then what she wears TO swim. The extra layers for "modesty" are a potential death trap of getting tangled. Then, even with this suit, the way it clings to her body when she exits the water works against her. And it's not just men that are her enemy here. It's the woman (played by Mahtab Nasirpour) in charge of sports that also stands in her way and offers no sympathy. According to IMDb, even this film is banned in Iran.

That may sound like a hard watch, but seeing Elham overcome so much is where the inspiring part comes in. She never gives up. Her relationship with her father improves as he supports her quest. She finds some decent people to be in her corner. And of course it helps that Alidoosti is a wonderful actress. She captures her determination and vulnerability well. I also have to give a shout out to the special effects team. What they did with the budget they likely had was very impressive. You'll know it when you see it. 

Since I don't speak Farsi, it's hard to find a lot about Elham Asghari online, but I hope she keeps shattering records and feels fulfilled. Orca is now available on digital and VOD.

Grade: B

Comments

  1. BirgitNovember 2, 2023 at 12:06 PM

    Yes, I did think you were speaking about that campy 70s movie with Richard Harris. This sounds like a really good film and I thought, at first, it was a documentary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 7, 2023 at 9:51 AM

      I had to go back and edit the year into my title because I assumed that is why no one was clicking this lol. Because they thought I was talking about that one. This is a great film.

      Delete

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