User reviews

Okay, The Big Miracle is not an epic or a grand movie. What it is, is a totally enjoyable feature with a good and simple story with no unusual surprises that people can relate to. It is good to see the Hollywood factory machine put out a movie like this. Much credit has to be given to Drew Barrymore (sort of a mogul herself these days).

Ken Kwapis does a really good job in telling this story without relying on massive special effects. He also works very well with his actors. He was given a good script from Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, both of whom also resisted going for any kind of cheap humor.

Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski have a nice chemistry together as they deliver fine performances.

This movie was, I am told, inspired by a true story about a small town reporter and a Greenpeace volunteer who are joined by rival superpowers to save a family of gray whales that are trapped by ice in the Arctic Circle.

The story, the visuals and the very fact that whales are a main character in this movie, all tug at the heart strings.

TV news reporter Adam Carlson (John Krasinski) and Green Peace worker, Rachel Kramer (Drew Barrymore), help enlist an Alaskan town to save a family of gray whales trapped by fast moving ice.

This is inspired by a true story in Barrow, Alaska in 1988.

Hey, I found a way to keep cool this summer: watch movies that have Alaska as the location. Seeing all that ice, and extremely cold water does it. If you don't believe this: try it and see for yourself.

In 1988, the trapped whales became a big story throughout the USA. Actual footage by the stars of network news all chimed in, and the president of the US gets updates on the progress.

The whales are cut off from the ocean by 5-miles of ice. They cannot swim underwater for that distance without coming up for air. Hence, the townspeople cut holes in the ice so the whales can come up and breathe. In time, the holes are cut as stepping stones all the way to the ocean. Will the whales follow the newly cut holes? The hated oilmen see a good PR scenario and jump in to help out. Two Minnesota men had invented a De-Icer and they want to use it to keep the ice from forming quickly in the holes as the temperature falls dangerously low. Will it work in the freezing temperature?

A Hover Barge, being flown by 2-helicopters, is on the way to the whales. The Hover Barge uses compressed air to break up the ice it passes over. Will it be in time? Can the townspeople cut the holes fast enough for the required 5-miles? There is some talk of getting the Russians to help out with their ice-breaking vessel. Some like that idea, some do not.

I had no idea this would be as exciting as it was. Very good. This was an extremely well done production. The entire cast were unbelievably good. Nothing dragged. Dialogues were spot on. The editing made everything run smoothly and the photography was unbelievably sharp. I knew from the title above that all would be okay, but still there was suspense throughout. I have no idea how the whale shots were accomplished whether using actual whales or CGI. Whatever made these shots look real, this was truly spectacular. Kudos.

All in all a very good family movie about people coming together to save the whales. At the end you might want to keep a box of Kleenex handy. When the credits run, you will see actual footage of the people working to help the rescue effort in 1988.

Now I have to find another movie that has ice and snow to keep me cool as I was with Big Miracle. There is THIN ICE, but that location is in Wisconsin. Gets cold there, doesn't it? It has "ice" in the title………hmmm……….will have to check it out. (7/10)

Violence: No. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Some, not much.

Big Miracle looks deceiving due to its advertising. Looking like a sappy, clichéd mess of a cash in. Even at first impression, it's deceiving. Characters like the oft-seen charismatic ex-boyfriend, the spunky animal rights activist, the street-smart young kid, the pretty fish out of water journalist, the local elderly wiseman, the mean old oil tycoon turned good guy, the unlikely geniuses who provide comic relief, and even the self-absorbed douchebag news anchor had me fearing for its quality.

However, something about this true story just sticks. The script is overly clichéd, but there's a surprising heart and lack of cheap corniness to it that feels more honest than its sappy sounding premise may let on. It also boasts another surprising element: actual intelligence. It may not be groundbreaking, but it's done plenty of justice by an excellent cast. Even if it's not always focused, the powerful ending is happily earned, adding up to a satisfying family drama.

***1/2 / *****

This is a slow movie. Prepare to watch people standing around a hole in the ice. If you think gray whales are a waste of time, you won't be moved. On the other hand, if you can pull for a family of marine mammals in danger of freezing to death, you will probably find satisfaction in this movie's numerous charms. You'll enjoy the dignity given to the Inuit people, environmentalists, oil executives, Soviets, journalists, and even Republicans(!) who collaborate in dramatic efforts to save the trapped whales. You'll appreciate the care taken with a late 80's period piece, down to the silk blouses, big glasses, hair, and Peter Jennings. You may even be moved by the warm and unguarded performances of Drew Berrymore, John Kasinksi, and others.

It's possible you may have your heart enlarged by the uncommon efforts of truly diverse people on behalf of beautiful and vulnerable earthlings like the grays. There is an unabashed love for both the whales and the humans portrayed in this movie, whose lives and futures are at stake in a variety of ways. Some may regard this affection as sentimentality, but the sense of humor sustained throughout the film argues against this. Somehow I think the worst-ever portrayal of Ronald Reagan was hardly unintentional. This director definitely has it in for for Minnesotans, too.

My ten and thirteen year-old sons were engrossed by this true story brought to the screen and gave it two thumbs up. My wife and I enjoyed being unembarrassed in their presence throughout.

Simply as an introduction to Barrow, Alaska, the movie is totally worthwhile.

My biggest complaint: Drew Barrymore's lips should be blue when scuba diving in frigid Artic waters.

Sometimes it takes a film about the environmental crises to bring to the attention of the entire populace that not only MUST we do something about our bruising of our natural environment, but that when certain people take action it does indeed make a difference. This is a gently made film that gets its point across in a warmly entertaining way - and it is a true story!

Thomas Rose' book FREEING THE WHALES forms the basis for this story, adapted for the screen by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler. Ken Kwapis directs. In brief summery (everyone knows this story by now), an animal-loving volunteer and a small-town news reporter are joined by a native Alaskan boy to rally an entire community - and eventually rival world superpowers - to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.'

The cast is a large one with some actors only appearing briefly but in roles that show their professional an also their emotional support for placing this subject before the public. In the lead roles are John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson and Tim Blake Nelson, but the remainder of the cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Kathy Baker, Kristin Bell, James LeGros and a fine supporting cast of Inuit actors and others.

The special effects are credible and deeply moving as the whales are released form their frozen captivity. The film adds much to the understanding of environmental problems and how multinational efforts are necessary to tame the destructive threats to the future of our globe. Grady Harp, January 13

Bravo for creating a refreshingly clean family movie! It's encouraging and rare these days to have an opportunity to view a film the whole family can enjoy. Big Miracle is a wholesome, educational and entertaining movie that I happily recommend to anyone struggling like we often to to find a movie suitable for the under 15 crowd, that adults will also enjoy.

Big Miracle is loosely based on a true story and utilizes TV news clips from the Reagan era that we felt made the film very realistic. Ancient traditions, multi-generational challenges, morality, ethics, friendship, love and social responsibility are weaved into a story set in beautiful Alaska that made us laugh, cry and cheer along with the characters - it was a fun adventure into a world we didn't know much about.

This was a really sweet and heart warming film, especially if you're and animal lover. There's a good story (based on a true story) and great performances. Yes, it was a little generic, all be it cheesy, at times; but I still left the film feeling touched. IMO Drew Barrymore gave a stand out beautiful performance, while john Krasinski, Kristen Bell, and the rest of the cast were also great. It is a tear jerker at a few sweet moments, I must admit, but its a good cry. I grapple with the fact that the whales were CGI. One hand, I'm a semi animal activist and prefer not seeing animals working, and they did look incredibly real. On the other hand, it was a little bit of a let down when I found this out. Can't explain why, just a gut reaction. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend this film to anyone looking for a nice genuine entertaining time. Also, it is suitable for families which is always nice.

Managed to see this on DVD from my public library. It is based in real events in 1988, but many of the characters have been fabricated or named something different from the person they were taken from.

It is outside Barrow, Alaska in the fall, cold weather is a bit early and the ice begins to freeze sooner than usual. This traps a whale pair and their young offspring.

John Krasinski is reporter Adam Carlson in Alaska and one day happens to notice something on the ice. He spots the whales repeatedly surfacing through a medium sized hole in the ice, but because it would require a 5-mile swim under ice to get free and swim south, the three whales are stranded at the hole.

Drew Barrymore is a conservationist who wants to attract more attention to saving the whales, while the local native Alaskans are thinking about "harvesting" the whales for food. Ted Danson is J. W. McGraw, a wealthy businessman wanting to drill in the Arctic, he ends up under pressure of publicity donating a hovercraft barge to be used as an ice breaker. Kristen Bell is too pretty as the California reporter Jill Jerard who ends up going there also and reporting some of the developments.

This is basically a family movie, cooperating to take care of the environment. Plus, when they were not able to get the hovercraft there the Russians ended up saving the day, using their ice breaker to free the whales, after Alaskans had used chainsaws to cut a series of holes in the ice closer and closer to the open sea, to allow the whales to make progress.

Pretty interesting movie.

As an animal lover, I looked forward to this movie but ended up being offended by it. It mostly amounted to anti-Reagan, anti-Republican, anti-oil drilling propaganda and pro-tree hugger philosophy. The opportunistic price-gouging of the townspeople in the frozen tundra was made light of ($40 for a 1x2' piece of cardboard to stand on?) yet the wealth of the oilman was mercilessly persecuted. Although the efforts to save a small family of whales is laudable, I somehow find it ludicrous that so much time, effort, human risk and financial funding was spent when those resources could go to medical research, education, etc. The main message seemed to be how the media can spin anything to suit the biggest spender who is only interested in PR for his/her cause; this is disgusting to everyone, including Greenpeace and insulting to the general public. I cannot recommend it despite the good acting and cinematography.

Yes, there were simplistic clichés, but for a PG-rated movie and the confines therein, Big Miracle is about as good as it can get. The Inupiat people, the reporters, the extraction industry - all sides were treated with a degree of nuance. The take-away message was really important too - that you can accomplish things with people you don't agree with or even like. And we really enjoyed the efforts made to set the film properly in its late 80s period.

I disagree with the other reviews that found the special effects lacking. I don't think they detracted from the story, which in the end was quite compelling.

Big Miracle dramatizes the real life struggle of three gray whales trapped in the ice near Barrow, Alaska. While my daughter told me what happens before we saw the movie, I still enjoyed the movie for its heart-warming and touching story of humans and nature.

Big Miracle has an ensemble cast that was very good. Drew Barrymore, in particular, did an outstanding job as a Greenpeace activist trying to save the gray whales. And, Ten Danson was fun as the oil magnate who sees an opportunity to help save the whales for some good PR.

The highlight of the movie was the Inupiat actors, who were charming and added warmth to the movie. The grandfather Inupiat stole every scene with his strong and quiet presence, and he provided several funny moments. His young grandson was also outstanding as the young friend to John Krasinki's character.

Big Miracle, however, did move slowly and many scenes seemed forced in drawing laughter or empathy. My wife and I enjoyed the movie for its touching story and appealing characters, but our kids said they were bored and uninterested. At the very least, catch Big Miracle at a matinée.

This movie has a really bad plot, it was a complete waste of time. The effects were mediocre, the actors weren't really good, hopefully they won't make a sequel out of this. I do NOT recommend this movie to anyone, wait for it to come to TV or something if you really want to watch it, but for now it is just an awful recycled Hollywood movie with the happy ending. The movie is as bad as the cover. Honestly, movies nowadays feel like you have already watched it, not enough Christopher Nolans around. I'm tired of seeing "The best movie of the year" comment. The media industry has really gone downhill with this one and a few others, you can't trust "honest" reviews anymore. If I had known this movie was this bad, I could have saved enough for a week of food since I went to see it with my family. Avoid this movie at all costs.

This film is inspired by a true story and stars Fred, Wilma, and Bamm Bamm, three whales trapped under solid ice on their journey south.

If you are one of those people like me, who pretends to talk on their cell phones to avoid Greenpeace while walking down the street, than this film is not for you!

I'm just kidding . . . to an extent, because one of the flaws that I found with this movie is that it constantly berates the audience with its talk of Greenpeace, preserving the environment, and saving the whales. I know those arguments are at the film's core, but it didn't need to push it's political agenda that hard.

However, Big Miracle did do some things better than other movies in this genre. First of all, this is a family movie that did politics well. Every single plot string is tied to some political scheme or agenda and while most of that stuff if boring for children, I believe Big Miracle made it simple and funny enough without taking away any of the significance. That's something truly remarkable, in my opinion.

The second thing that the movie did well was portraying the native people of Alaska, who wanted to use the three trapped whales for food, in a positive light. The audience gets to hear the head captains of the town talk about how they need the food to survive and how they want their children to learn how to hunt, which was really cool. Then, after the media gets ahold of the whale story, they have to discuss how the rest of the world is going to look at them (if they decide to kill the whales) and what it means for the future of their town's survival. To me, that was the most interesting and important part of the movie.

The biggest flaw of this movie comes in the form of a story arch involving the grandchild of the most respected captain. This boy wants to leave Alaska and doesn't care much for the old customs of his grandfather. The film tries to show how he changes over time, after he gets emotionally involved with the whales, but I just didn't think it was smooth or believable. In fact, I think they could have left the kid out of the movie completely and it would have been better.

Now, on to the cast, which is both good and bad. Lets start with John Krasinski. He was by far the best actor in the whole film. He plays a genuinely nice reporter who first breaks the whale story. Drew Barrymore plays his ex-girlfriend, who is a political protester and an important part of Greenpeace. She raises hell at city meeting and is a nuisance for politicians. However, honestly, I felt that she was over the top and just really annoying at times. They do not put much make-up on her, which is a nice touch and makes her character more believable. You also have hot Kristen Bell who was awesome at first, as a LA reporter looking to break out, but the direction they took with her was so lame. And the last person I am going to mention is Ted Danson. I think he's a wonderful actor but he was just plain silly. My best guess is that they tried to play up their characters to appeal to the children. However, it was at the expense of quality acting.

Something positive that the movie did well was the whales. The special effects are amazing and all of the whales look life-like. To me, the technology used looks very similar to Jurassic Park, which I'm sad not more movies use.

Overall, Big Miracle was a touching story but the over the top feel doesn't set the right mood. However, if you want to learn more about the event, check out the videos below.

This is based on a true story of a family of whales stuck under the freezing ice in Alaska and what happens next. A local news reporter recruits his ex, a Greenpeace volunteer, to save the family of gray whales. Then the whole world started to notice and the world's media descends on them all.

Drew Barrymore is a bit too annoying as a Greenpeace activist. She's too shrill and needed to tone down her performance. John Krasinski is great as the everyman. Ted Danson relishes his role as an oil tycoon a little too much. He may have been miscasted. Kristen Bell is good as the ambitious reporter.

It's nice to see a major release movie for a change that doesn't feel like it has to be a some gigantic blockbuster of a movie and it can be a good quality family type of movie.

John Krasinski is still trying to transition from The Office into movies and has quite gotten his foot hold yet, maybe with this movie and the Promised Land movie he can make a step closer to accomplishing that goal.

Drew Barrymore does the type of roles she's usually best at, being movies like this.

Ted Danson is still going strong with CSI now and in recent years doing Damages and Bored to Death. Kristen Bell basically does the general decent performance but not great that she's growing accustom to.

Nine-year-old KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Anthony Aranda loved this film. Watch his video review http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrCf8veaoyU or read below what he had to say: "This is one of the best movies I have ever seen that is based on a true story. This movie is really awesome because there were so many people that came together to save three whales. It was really heart-breaking because a lot of people put their own lives in danger to save the lives of the whales. This movie is all about Adam and Nathan who are out and see three whales that are trapped under the ice and can't find their way to the ocean. There is a small hole that the whales keep using to breathe so first they try digging that whole to make it bigger. Adam's friend Rachel comes to help save the whales and do everything she can. She asks the governor for help but he says no so she tells the news about what he said. The governor then decides to help. They have to work fast because the hole keeps freezing and getting smaller and the ice leading to the ocean keeps freezing over making the distance even longer. Some of the main characters in the movie are Adam, Rachel, and Nathan. My favorite character is Nathan because he is such a funny character at first and then he really starts to care about the whales. He also starts to spend a lot of time with his grandfather because his grandfather likes to spend a lot of time around the ocean and helps animals in need. My favorite part in the movie is when everyone started to dig the holes to help the whales breathe and get back to the ocean. I really like this part because it really shows how everyone cares about saving the whales and how much people love the whales. A part that was really funny was when the Governor had to help save the whales because Rachel told the news that he wouldn't help. It was funny to see him shaking the hand of a guy dressed up as a whale. I would recommend this movie for all ages because it is a really good movie. There are not any violent parts in this movie. This movie is a really great family movie. Go out and see this movie in theaters on February 3rd." Review by Anthony Aranda, age 9, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Definitely worth the watch. This move illustrates a beautiful message about human kindness, and putting aside our differences to do something that matters.

The story was cute but unoriginal and it's not that emotionally involving and a majority of its run time involves watching the shamu swim. It doesn't have enough cuteness or charm to be a memorable piece. Many adults will find it too blatantly manipulative, for it is lightweight, juvenile entertainment and it has lots of shamu in it. I'd advise proceeding with caution unless you know how to swim and don't have a fear of sharks and shamu. If you are a graying fan of "Flipper" this movie is not for you, because whales are so much bigger than dolphins and there is no scrawny freckled redheads boys in this movie to heckle and went your emotions on. A megaton whales would crush a dolphins if one landed on the other. This is a bad story in a bad wrapper. If you want better whale movie I suggest Whale Rider instead.

I watched this film on a whim. Wow, I was really surprised, it was GOOD! In addition to being thoroughly entertained and moved, it was very moving to know that the film is based on a true story.

I don't know how they rendered the whales (CGI, mechanical, etc.), but they were extremely life-like. It was also interesting to see how many different cultures interacted -- political realms, the media, the local Inuit community, the oil industry, environmentalists. The script was terrific, and be sure to stay tuned for the end credits, where the actors are shown alongside the real-life players in this drama.

It should be noted that Kristin Bell was excellent in the film, along with the rest of the cast. She appears pretty far down in the credits, and I'm not sure why, as she had a fairly prominent role.

Watch this one, you won't regret it!

I thought this was going to be a movie about whales trapped under some ice. It was way more than that! It was the whales, yes. But it was also about the media and the politics, domestic and international, that got them out. It was a behind the scenes glimpse into how three gray whales fit into the Reagan administration, Greenpeace, the oiling industry, cooperation with native Eskimos in Alaska and America's relations with Russia, at that time, the Soviet Union. Yes, it's all of that. But not overdone and with a steady, engaging pace. Of course, we all root for the whales and can't wait to see how it all ends. But the journey of this movie is just as fulfilling as the ending. Very family friendly but also a gem for adults, given the political puzzle pieces that all have to fit together that will surely go over the little ones' heads. No one was really a stand- out for me in this, actor/actress-wise but that's OK. A little romance, a little comedy, a lot of feel-good. It was just a great movie.

It seemed like everyone went out of their way to save those three whales. Why? Granted their life span is comparable to a humans, but they're just whales. Nature is cruel, and the whales' situation was not uncommon. Should people spend millions of dollars to rescue ever future whale or seal trapped in ice? No, of course not. I'll say it again, nature is cruel. Animals die. It happens every second of every day, and it has been that way since the dawn of time. Some whales get trapped in ice during migration, while others make it safely to their destination. Instead of saving those whales, the money could have been spent on fixing the environmental pollution, recycling, something, anything else! Those whales shouldn't have gotten trapped like that!