dolphins appear to be smiling all the time
The movie followed Ric O'Barry's journey to Taiji, Wakayama, Japan. The means of getting the footages and the evidences provided in this movie is questionable and highly illegal, but I suppose the movie helped the dolphins. I was appalled by the gruesome clips of dolphin slaughter.
I was shocked by the fact how profitable dolphin industry was, and how much abuse dolphins go through. Rick O'Barry is pretty much created the dolphin industry with his Flipper. But Flipper's suicide made him realize that dolphins were unhappy behind their "smiles." He now spends his time trying to reverse his work and free all the dolphins.
Rick was shocked when Flipper killed herself in front of him
His visit to Taiji, Wakayama reveals devastating truths behind the Japanese dolphin industry. Every year, fishermen in this town trap and sell many dolphins to trainers all over the world. This is all done in public. What is really disgusting takes place behind the cove, where things are not visible to the public.
All the nasty things happen behind those rocks
Rick O'Barry's team gather shocking footage through illegal means. Ethics behind this movie are questionable, but I suppose when the bad guys are being uncooperative, extreme means are necessary. The footage from hidden cameras reveal Taiji fishermen killing the leftover dolphins inhumanely. There are baby dolphins trying to escape and other dolphins bleeding to death. The water is covered in blood, and you can hear the dolphins crying out in pain.
The water was covered in blood
The scary part about this is that dolphin meat is inedible. It is too high in mercury that the health department in Japan regards dolphin meat as poisonous. The Taiji villagers sell these dolphin meats disguised as expensive and healthy whale meat. Japanese people do not even know about this. What is even more abhorring is that Taiji fishermen give out these toxic dolphin meat to Japanese schools for free. Japanese students are consuming highly toxic dolphin meat every year!
Dolphin meat disguised as whale meat
The movie also pointed out how ridiculous Japan is in its whaling industry. It pointed out the ridiculous "scientific evidence" Japan uses to back their whaling industry. It also exposed the corruptness of Japan and how it bought its support from other countries.
RIGHT-the man behind Japan's bullshit
This movie was successful in punishing some of the more involved individuals in the area. Nevertheless, it failed to stop the dolphin killing in Taiji altogether. And Japan is continuing to buy more support from smaller nations; its support has actually grown in the International Whaling Commission.
IWC has practically no power over Japan
