Cillian Murphy's 2015 Historical Drama With Chris Hemsworth Is A Hidden Gem On Prime Video

We haven't exactly been drowning in grand-scale adventure movies in the last decade or so, and while the 2015 feature "In the Heart of the Sea" — starring Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy, and now streaming on Prime Video — doesn't reach the level of spectacular classics like 2003's "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," it's not for lack of trying. 

Despite being dismissed by both critics and audiences upon its release, cinema veteran Ron Howard's historical drama is a decent attempt at capturing the tragic odyssey of the 1820 Essex whaleship (based on Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction book, "In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex"), and how it directly inspired author Herman Melville to write "Moby-Dick."

Made on a $100 million budget with a carefully-selected cast (the film also features future "Spider-Man" star Tom Holland and a terrific Brendan Gleeson in young and old versions of the same role), Howard's period piece boasts some impressive visuals, solid performances, and a brooding milieu aptly fitting for the setting and the tale. Is it groundbreaking, innovative, or extraordinary? Not even remotely. But viewers hungry for an old-fashioned, melancholy sea saga that's been unjustly overlooked and ignored over the years will definitely find plenty to enjoy in this hidden gem.

The narrative structure of "In the Heart of the Sea" will be familiar to fans of 2012's Oscar-winner "Life of Pi," although that movie differs from the book in some ways. Screenwriters Charles Levitt, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver mostly rely on similar beats as Ang Lee's classic. The plot kicks off with a young Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw) visiting an aging Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson, and in flashbacks, Tom Holland) in 1850s Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. Melville hopes to get the real story of how the famous Essex whaleship went down after being attacked by a formidable sperm whale. Nickerson is the only survivor, but despite being offered a large sum of money by the author, he's resistant to reliving those haunting memories.

He eventually gives in and tells the story of two men, Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker) and his first mate, Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), who ran the Essex with two very opposing mindsets. Nickerson takes us back to the beginning in 1820, as Pollard and Chase feud over worldviews and methods, with the one common goal of getting as much whale oil as they possibly can. But things go awry rather quickly due to poor decisions, cruel weather, and an enormous white whale that seems to have a personal vendetta to eviscerate the ship and the men who dare to consider it prey.

The plot is as standard as they come, with few surprises along the way, so director Ron Howard opts instead for sheer visual scale and a strong cast that fills the movie with the kind of courage and heart that nautical adventures like this usually revel in.

Every dull, ordinary plot point in "In the Heart of the Sea" is compensated for by the imposing, raw action scenes and immersive setting. Whether it's volatile weather patterns, another attack by the viciously defiant whale, or devastating starvation, you can always feel the weight of the crew's predicament. Yet all these scenes wouldn't land half as hard without a more than capable cast.

Although it's one of his many movies that bombed at the box office, Chris Hemsworth dominates every moment as Owen Chase, a skilful and honorable man trusted and championed by every member of his crew. He steals the film almost entirely, which isn't easy to do next to such terrific thespians as Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, or a full-of-promise Tom Holland. Of course, Hemsworth's role is probably the most meaty as he gets to be heroic, obsessive, and vulnerable throughout the film. The rest of the main cast simply don't get as many opportunities to awe us with their range — Murphy is especially underused as Owen's long-time friend and confidant, Matthew Joy — but they all deliver some fine work.

"In the Heart of the Sea" may not be as memorable or outstanding as other nautical classics, but it certainly proves itself worthy enough for a watch to those hunting for adventuresome period dramas. Just be wary of the fact that, regardless of the story's principal connections to "Moby-Dick," the movie is not so much a relentless hunt for a mythical creature as it is a chronicle of survival and bonding between men at sea.