Presenting its compelling case with exceptional cinematic craft, The Cove is one of 2009's finest documentaries to date. Be sure to see it.
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07/27/09
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The Cove (2009)
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Reviews Counted:110
Fresh:105
Rotten:5
Average Rating:8/10
Consensus: Though decidedly one-sided, The Cove is an impeccably crafted, suspenseful expose of the covert slaughter of dolphins in Japan.
Theatrical Release:Jul 31, 2009 Limited
Box Office: $619,467
Synopsis: The Cove is an astounding piece of investigative journalism with the heart of an action thriller. Led by Louie Psihoyos, leader of the Ocean Preservation Society, and Richard O'Barry, an... [More]
Director: Louie Psihoyos
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Reviews for The Cove
As the subject of a documentary, this grim enterprise distinctly lacks the warm and fuzzy appeal of The March of the Penguins. So director Louie Psihoyos ingeniously reinvents his film as a spy caper.
08/19/09
Top CriticA documentary that mixes advocacy journalism with the suspenseful thrill of a caper.
07/29/09
Top CriticThe result is quite horrific. No-one could be unmoved. But at the same time I did back away from the campaigning elements of the film.
08/19/09
The Cove exposes the dark secrets that underpin the world’s dolphin mania.
08/07/09
The Cove offers a lot to think about in terms of the future of fishing, and Psihoyos’ gift for using fiction-feature conventions does make a seemingly unpalatable subject entertaining.
07/30/09
The Cove is a thriller in a classical sense. It’s the first of these movies to tell a story with more than stock footage and on-camera interviews. It also smartly refracts a major ethical, ecological problem through the prism of guerrilla events.
08/06/09
Top CriticIt's not often that documentaries pack as much suspense as action flicks (and even rarer that one does so without re-enactments), but The Cove is a mighty exception.
08/07/09
Skillful, unsparing and blessed with a great protagonist, The Cove is smart enough to stir up as much interest in its cause as Who Killed the Electric Car? did with the shuttered EV1, provided its post-festival word of mouth continues to build.
06/19/09
Cove is a stirring call to arms, providing the damning dolphin massacre argument forcefully and creatively. I can't say the film will change the world, but it certainly will make those trips to Sea World more awkward.
07/30/09
The Cove stands out from the crowd due to the readily apparent awfulness of the event it depicts.
10/23/09
Visceral enough to inspire action, no matter your politics.
08/21/09
Directed by Louie Psihoyos, this well-intentioned documentary exposes the harvesting of dolphins by Japanese fishermen, yet its theatrics suggest a cross between reality TV and Mission: Impossible.
08/07/09
There are many documentaries angry about the human destruction of the planetary peace. This is one of the very best -- a certain Oscar nominee.
08/06/09
Top CriticI've seen hundreds of horror movies in my time, and I've never seen anything quite as disturbing as the final sequences of The Cove.
03/03/09
It won't be a big hit in Japan, but this film is easily one of the best documentaries I've seen in awhile. Okay, it's one-sided, but who really wants to defend the slaughter of dolphins? I think this film will be a major contender in awards season.
08/03/09
...an engrossing bit of cinematic agitprop based on the exhaustive efforts of dolphin activist Richard O'Barry.
07/23/09
Sounded like something I didn't want to see: a preachy nature documentary. But the actual film is much more daring and memorable.
12/11/09
The scenes centering on the slaughter and the aftermath are horrifying; Michael Vick would doubtless get [excited] watching them, but most normal people will be properly repulsed.
08/21/09
An involving and persuasive film that remains frustratingly one-sided as it bandies about unsubstantiated accusations, fails to follow up on key issues and leaves you wanting to know much more.
10/23/09
Latest News for The Cove
November 19, 2009:
Academy Releases Documentary Shortlist 
Awards season is just around the corner, and to prove it, the Academy just released its list of the 15 films still vying for a Documentary Feature Oscar. More...
August 13, 2009:
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They have timely topics, great buzz, and meaningful messages -- so why are environmental documentaries like "The Cove" struggling to find theatrical audiences? More...
July 30, 2009:
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June 21, 2009:
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