Whalefall ruined Kojima’s Squid obsession
From Whale Song to Visceral Terror: How a Film on Whales Shook a Game Designer’s World
The cinematic journey of Whalefall, a film that plunges viewers into the massive world of a sperm whale, has captured the attention of some of the industry’s most creative minds. While the movie dazzles with its visual spectacle, it sparked a fascinating dialogue among fans, most notably with Hideo Kojima, the celebrated creator of Metal Gear Solid. Kojima, known for his deep engagement with ecology and symbolism in his work, found profound resonance in the film’s exploration of the relationship between whales and humanity.
For Kojima, the film was more than just spectacle; it was a literary exploration. He praised the movie for framing the relationship between whales and humans as part of a larger ecosystem, echoing the familial bonds often explored in storytelling. This appreciation stems from a lifelong fascination with marine life, a curiosity that began early in life with studying whale ecology for a school project.
The theme of the film, which delves into the epic scale of the whale, also connected deeply with Kojima’s own universe. Whales feature prominently in his games, from the colossal digital entity that swallows information in MGS2 to the various marine environments in MGSV and DEATH STRANDING. These recurring symbols, alongside references to Melville’s Moby-Dick, tie the cinematic experience into Kojima’s established thematic preoccupations.
Behind the artistic vision, the production demanded an equally intense level of real-world investigation. Director and writer Brian Duffield undertook unusual research into the physical reality of whale anatomy to inform the film’s visual authenticity. This involved studying the biology of beached sperm whales, endoscopies of beluga whales, and autopsies of dolphins, consulting experts to determine how to best represent the unique anatomy of a sperm whale.
Duffield admitted that the research was surprisingly graphic. He recalled the intensity of the process, noting a moment where the visceral reality of the work became intensely personal, prompting a moment of wry reflection on the nature of observation. The sheer, stark reality of the subject matter required a level of detail that was both educational and profoundly unsettling.
The resulting film successfully harnessed this raw, anatomical reality, pulling the audience into an environment that is undeniably potent. Critics have noted that Whalefall manages to leverage the primal human fears of being predator or prey, creating an experience that is described as unthinkably frightening, incredibly gross, and panic-inducing.
Ultimately, the movie serves as a powerful reminder of the immense, often terrifying, complexity of the natural world, proving that the deepest connections are often found at the intersection of wonder, biology, and sheer, unforgettable visual impact.
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