The Cove

So in September I will be commencing my Masters degree in Documentary Production at Salford and I think it's about time I get back into some thinking and analysis about media text, particularly documentaries. What better place to start than with a wonderful documentary The Cove. Louie Psihoyos produces the film which attempts to uncover the hidden secrets of a tiny piece of coastline in the Japanese village of Taiji. In an attempt to highlight the slaughter of thousands of dolphins every year Psihoyos and veteran activist Ric O'Barry form a crack squad of ex military, special effects professionals and world champion free divers to covertly expose the sinister truth.

The film has all the tension of a great Hollywood thriller. Scenes shot in the dead of night with the use of thermal imaging and night vision ads to a sense of unease with the ever present sonar clicks of the captive and doomed creatures. Just like a good heist movie, the Japanese police are ever present in a menacing way, constantly following and monitoring members of the team. Certain characters too play the roles of bad guys, non more so than Sergent Space, armed with a video camera, recording every move and constantly hounding anyone who dare visit and query the goings on at Taiji.

At times the film feels a little too definitive in good and evil, the Japanese being portrayed as a problematic society of lies, bribery and oppression. Empathy however is difficult to find as graphic images of slaughter and blood stained ocean emerge from the groups endeavours.