'Whalefall' review: Austin Abrams grapples with grief, toxic masculinity and the guts of sad whales in thrilling body horror

Austin Abrams' ascension to the title of "Scream King" has resulted in an emotionally raw survival/body horror based on Daniel Krauss' 2023 novel. In Wallfill, written and directed by Brian Duffield, Jay (Abrams) dives in the Pacific Ocean to find the remains of his late father, Mitt (Josh Brolin), who has been dead for a year.

Austin Abrams' ascension to the title of "Scream King" has resulted in an emotionally raw survival/body horror based on Daniel Krauss' 2023 novel.

In "Whale Wall," written and directed by Brian Duffield, Jay (Abrams) dives in the Pacific Ocean to find the remains of his late father, Mitt (Josh Brolin), who died a year ago of a terminal illness. When Jay and a giant squid are swallowed by a whale, he's left with an hour of oxygen to find a way out of the sea mammal's stomach, while unleashing his grief around his father.

The film is awash in beautiful beaches and underwater shots by cinematographer Aaron Morton, all of which were shot in California thanks to the Film and Television Tax Credit program.

Meanwhile, the natural beauty of the Golden State is offset by the graphic terror of the whale's body, built on practical sets by production designer Ramsey Avery and illuminated with bioluminescence. It's like watching a really violent car wash while being dumped on acid, which is sure to be a fun time for any Pride fan, reminiscent of the alien abduction scene in Jordan Peele's Nope (2022). Watch on Deadline

Even in the confines of an artificial stomach, with an oxygen hose in his mouth, Abrams creates humor through the physical comedy of being stuck in the most awkward situations, as well as the funny dialogue with a jellyfish that Tom Hanks does when he befriends a volleyball named Volleyball.

At times, the dynamic between father and son can be mired in melodrama, but Abrams and Brolin's brave performances portray a troubled relationship that's still grounded in love.

Despite some distinct uterine symbolism in the unexpected fleeting comfort Jay finds in the belly, symbolizing his emotional regression to deal with some heavy unresolved issues with his late father, I didn't immediately realize that Jay was showing his dead father to the whale through his internal dialogue.

While the goal of their relationship seems to have been the surfer dead who wanted to prepare his son for the rigors of the world through a lot of whale metaphors, covered in light toxic masculinity, but no real communication about the important things that weighed Jay down, the father was somewhat easily prepared for the situation of being stuck in an emotional whale scene.

"It's called the whale crash," Brolin said in a ridiculously on-the-nose line, which for many will evoke Beanie Feldstein's Ladybird gif saying, "This is the lead!"

One of the whale metaphors that hits home so beautifully is how the sperm whale cries out for help when distressed, which inspired a Hail Mary plot in Jay's struggle to escape the belly of the beast. In addition to its literal implications for his survival, it symbolizes the protagonist's inability to convey his grief to those who love him most.

While Duffield's adaptation of Krauss-Wilfall isn't subtle in metaphors and melodrama, it's a delightfully engaging genre film with raw, relatable emotion and strong performances from Abrams and Brolin, as well as Elizabeth Shaw, John Ortiz, Jane Levy and Jane Lloyd.

Title: Whalefall Distributor: 20th Century Studios Release Date: October 16, 2026 Director: Brian Duffield Screenplay: Brian Duffield, Daniel Kraus Cast: Austin Abrams, Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Shaw, John Ortiz, Jane Levy, Amy PJ11, Amy Ronning. 46 minutes

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