Fathom is a visual and aural wonder of a documentary that follows researchers working to finally decode the communication of humpback whales. With Dr. Michelle Fournet, Dr. Ellen Garland.... (Full plot summary below)
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Fathom is a visual and aural wonder of a documentary that follows researchers working to finally decode the communication of humpback whales. With Dr. Michelle Fournet, Dr. Ellen Garland.
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| RogerEbert.comNell MinowWatching the scientists research the mysteries of humpback whales is an inspiring tribute to the power of curiosity, purpose, and the triumphant joy of adding one more piece to the jigsaw puzzle of knowledge. |
| The Film StageArtemis LinFathom, like the study of whalesong, isn’t just about the whales––it’s also about how we can bridge the gap between “human” and “nature” to create something meaningful. Its unhurried, contemplative pace and gorgeous nature cinematography are a welcome reminder to appreciate the wilderness still inherent in all of us. |
| Austin ChronicleJosh KupeckiKeeping the camera on Fournet and Garland may reduce the screentime of the actual humpbacks, but Xanthopoulos is more interested in the research process, the passion and devotion the two have for their work, and capturing not just the thrills and the agony, but also more contemplative moments of of reflection and motivation. |
| The New York TimesAmy NicholsonAt times, the doc feels like science-fiction without the fiction. Swap whales for aliens and these two doctors aglow with the thrill of discovery could double for Jodie Foster in “Contact” or Amy Adams in “Arrival.” |
| Slant MagazinePaul O'CallaghanThroughout, there are moments when you may feel as if Drew Xantholoulos could push harder on the film’s philosophical implications. |
| Screen DailyTim GriersonMeditative more than dynamic, it’s a film about communication in which the mammoth mammals are as elusive as the people tracking them. |
| TheWrapCarlos AguilarThe balance between the humanistic and academic is way off. |
| Los Angeles TimesMichael OrdonaFathom presumably gets its name from both the watery depths and the attempt to understand these mysterious aquatic mammals, but it doesn’t delve deeply enough into either the science or the scientists. |
