KILLER WHALE

Australia/US, 2026, 89 minutes, Our colour.

Virginia Gardner, Mel Jarnson, Mitchell Hope, Ron Smyck..

Directed by Jo-Anne Brechin.

With its very straightforward title, there are comparatively few surprises as we watch this brief action adventure.

Killer Whale was filmed in Brisbane, with an initial setting in a city which could have been American or Australian (and co-stars Virginia Gardner, American, sounding Australian while Mel Jsrnson, Thai-Australian, has an American accent). But the main action takes place in Thailand, the Andaman Sea islands, an enclosed lagoon but broad, craggy outcrops and the beach.

There is initial interest in Orcas, in captivity, not killers in captivity, but the presentation of an orca held for entertainment. It appears, then, that it has escaped but is trapped in the lagoon, someone then saying that it still feels entrapment even though it is now free in the sea.

For a while, the film focus is on the relationship between cello student working in a takeaway, Maddie, and her supportive boyfriend. Then there is a robbery at the takeaway, fight, the thief fleeing, the boyfriend reassuring Maddie then struck by a car. A year later, she is still grieving and has given up the cello.

Then her best friend from long ago, Trish, persuades her to go on a holiday to Thailand, meeting an Australian-sounding man at a refreshment stall, and their going out swimming. Enter the orca.

It seems that the men are disposable and disappear from the action. For the most part of the film, the two young women are trapped on an outcrop, trying to save themselves, calling for help, getting some water, a attempt for some food. However, there is also unexpected drama in the revelations that the initial robbery had been set up by Trish in need of cash for her course!

Maddie upset, Trish trying to make amends, swimming to the shore, trying to enable Maddie to come to safety…

In fact, there have been many of this kind of film with two young women stranded on islands, underwater, on the top of cliffs, action shows which are rather undiscriminating in their style, designed and written for a popular audience all over the world.