1
- Hey. Max.
- Hey. Smiley.
- Your mom's looking for you.
- I'm waiting for my dad's boat.
He radioed in. They're staying
out for a few more days.
No big deal. You tell her?
- What was I supposed to do?
- I don't know.
- You're getting good at that.
- Hold on. I have to blow up 50 more.
- Talked to your father today.
- I know. He's not coming home.
- Know what else he said?
- What?
Maybe you can go with him next time.
Would you like that?
Hey, here's your pizza.
- I didn't order a pizza.
- This is the Noah, right?
- I guess.
- Then you ordered a pizza. $22.50.
Pizza's here. I'll take that.
- You must be Drew, right?
- What if I am?
- I'm Jesse. I was hired through Randolph.
- Randolph, pizza.
That's your secret. You hire
crew through the Pizza Factory.
I'm not from the Pizza Factory.
I'm your new research assistant.
- What did you say your name was?
- Jesse.
- Sure your name's not Willy?
- Willy's a whale.
- Randolph, tell her who I am.
- I've never seen this kid before.
- Good pizza.
- You didn't tell me he was so young.
He's not so young.
Wait! I'll do anything.
I'm just here to learn.
I'll do whatever you tell me.
We're gonna get along just fine then.
- What did you say your name was?
- Jesse.
Okay, Jesse.
Help me get this gear down below.
All right.
The orca population has declined 10% in
the last two years. We don't know why.
We'll tag each pod of orca
with one of these.
We'll be able to track them anywhere
on the planet, 24 hours a day.
Maybe we'll be able to
figure out what's happening.
- What do you think it is?
- Could be environmental, a virus.
- Maybe even old age.
- Maybe.
- It could be something natural.
- That's what we're gonna find out.
There's my sweetheart.
- Hey.
- Hey, Dad.
- You ready to catch some fish?
- You bet.
Get to bed.
We leave first thing in the morning.
Okay.
- Hey, kiddo.
- Hi.
Here you go.
- This is it, huh?
- Yep.
- So have fun.
- Okay.
- Be careful, and listen to your dad.
- All right, Morn.
We won't be too long.
Take care of yourself.
- I'll miss you.
- I'll miss you.
Captain.
- Don't let him scare you, Max.
- Okay.
What are you going to be
when you grow up, kid?
Your boss.
That was my dad's knife.
Be yours someday.
When?
When you've earned it.
I want you to have it, and you will.
When you're ready.
Will you show me how to use it?
I'll show you everything I know.
- Bye, guys.
- Bye!
- Have fun.
- Bye, Mom.
- What are you doing?
- Making a call.
Willy likes my harmonica.
When he hears it, he knows it's me.
So you're going to play that sound
over the hydrophone...
...and he's just going to come running
from miles away?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
I'm changing the harmonica sample to
fit his ear. He can heal much higher--
Higher sounds, like a dog.
I know. I went to school.
I'm pitching it so we can't hear it,
but he can.
Then we can make it
as loud as we want.
If Willy's in a 30-mile radius,
he'll hear us.
- Sort of a Willy pager.
- Pretty cool, huh?
You thought this up all by yourself?
- How old are you?
- How old are you?
I think that's
an awfully personal question.
Can I listen?
Here.
Come on. Two, three.
- I have good aim.
- With what?
Exterminator, Alien Invasion,
Sea Creature...
- He probably would be a good shot.
- Sharp Shooter...
- ...Bite the Bullet...
- No kidding.
- The kid's practiced all his life.
- Guns of Death...
...Burger Toss...
...Skull-Crushing Boots of Glory,
Pooper Scooper.
- Dad, look!
- I see them.
Here we go.
- Max, here, hold this.
- What do I do?
- Just give it to me when I tell you.
- I'm ready.
- Now.
- Not yet.
Not yet.
You got it!
- Pull around.
- Cut the buoy.
Adjust to port, there's another one.
Take up the slack on that line.
Okay, cast off.
Easy.
Get me the spear gun, now!
Get the line.
Eddie, get the harpoon line.
Get him. Now!
Ready.
Dad?
I see him, Max. Good work. Port!
Stand by.
He's coming light at us.
Hard starboard!
Hold on!
Man overboard!
Max!
Come on, swim.
Come on.
- Scared the crap out of me.
- Sorry.
Okay. Let's go below
and get you some dry clothes.
Okay.
Take care of the fish.
Any luck?
Not yet.
You want to try these?
They're a lot better.
All right. Sure, thanks.
Yeah. These are better.
These are great.
- Yeah!
- See anything?
No. Just birds. Things like that.
It's a tradition we have, kid.
It's called a group photograph.
Now everybody get in close.
Welcome aboard, kid.
I like it, Jesse. Brings out your eyes.
You look like a raccoon.
First day, Max, huh?
- Congratulations.
- I didn't do anything.
Well, on this boat, we all do the work,
we all share the credit.
Here.
That's a tooth of a sperm whale.
Souvenir of our last trip.
- You're one of us now, kiddo.
- What do you say, Max?
Thanks.
Go away.
Go on. Leave. Go over there.
Come on. Go on. Get out of here.
They'll see you.
They'll kill you.
Go on. Get out! Go over there.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Did you hear that?
- What?
- Listen.
What?
They make this sound:
- Sound of their blowhole. I heard it.
- I didn't hear anything.
Get me my spear gun.
Quietly, now. Go.
Hurry, Max. I see him!
Max.
- See it?
- There, there.
Shoot!
Did you get him?
- Dad?
- He's gone.
You cut your shin.
Let's get that taken care of.
- Do I need stitches?
- I don't think so, Max.
Sorry I screwed up.
You'll be okay
once you get your first.
My first?
Your first kill.
That's what mistakes are for.
To learn.
You might even get a little scar
if you're lucky.
- How did you know the whale was there?
- You get a sense.
You'll get it too, after a while.
Never take your eye off the ball, Max.
If you do, the sea will get you,
or the whale will.
The whale will?
Don't you worry. We'll get him first.
I promise.
Randolph?
Thanks.
For what?
For talking Ben and Annie
into letting me go.
I promised them
I'd keep you out of trouble.
And they believed you?
- What the hell is that?
- Hey, you got something?
Something.
- I don't hear anything.
- Take a look at the grid.
Are you sure this thing
is working right?
Hey, boy, what took you so long?
What is it?
What's the matter, Willy?
Something's happened.
Come on, boy. Come on!
Something's wrong with him.
Take a listen to this. It's a signal
I recorded the other night.
I wanted to hear it, so I brought it
down a couple hundred octaves.
This is what I got.
That's no animal I've ever heard.
- It's not an animal.
- You're sure of that?
It's just a loop.
Plays over and over again.
A loop of what?
What's the matter, boy?
Is that a harpoon?
It's a spear from a spear gun.
What's this?
It's a tool of the trade we use
to keep it afloat...
...until you bring it on board
down here.
What happens over here?
That's where we harvest the meat.
Then we package it...
...and freeze for shipping.
- Who do you sell it to?
- Norway, Russia, Japan...
There's an underground market
for whale meat.
Underground?
You mean illegal.
It's $200 a pound, kid.
There you are.
It's time to learn the harpoon.
Means a lot to me, you being here.
- Me too, Dad.
- Get up to the bow.
Way to go, Jesse.
Thanks.
Who's that with Willy?
Looks like they know each other.
That's Nicky.
- Is that a boy Nicky or a girl Nicky?
- He's a girl.
All right, Willy.
Come on, boy.
Looks like they've got
better things to do.
I think I can get their attention.
Nicky and I spent some time together
at Puget Sound. We're old friends.
One day I dropped my lunch
in the water, Nicky ate it.
Also, she likes to play with her food.
There you go.
- Enough fooling around. Come here, girl.
- Okay, Willy. Tag time.
Now I'll always be able to find you.
- What's the matter?
- I'm not sure.
Is she sick?
- Either Nicky has two hearts or--
- Or she's gonna have a baby.
You're gonna be a mama, girl!
All right, Willy.
Can I be a lookout?
Captain's kid.
You can do whatever you want.
- You see anything, kid?
- Not a thing.
Kujira.
- What's kujira?
- Sound the horn.
- You ready, Max?
- Okay.
Let's go fishing.
I've got it, kid.
Aim through the crosshairs
down the end of the barrel.
- Like this?
- Aim where the target's going to be...
...not where it's at. If you aim
at the target, you'll miss.
Ready?
Wait.
Wait.
No! Hand me the next one.
- I got it.
- I got it.
No, Max. Let Sanderson do it.
- Keep still. Keep still.
- Hurry up.
- Don't move.
- Drop it.
- Just give it to me.
- Step aside.
Dad, a ship!
Captain.
Get below, kid. Move, move.
- Come on.
- Pick it up.
Is that a whaling ship?
No harpoon.
That's them, Randolph.
That's gotta be them.
Willy wouldn't do that
unless it was them.
- Call this in.
- There's nothing to call in.
Willy went after that boat. He was
defending himself. They attacked him.
- You know that for a fact?
- It's obvious. If you'd open up your eyes.
- Sir.
- Botany Bay checks out.
It's a registered salmon boat. Its captain,
John Wesley, his license is clean.
You're right. If they were whalers,
they'd say, "Arrest me, I kill whales.
I should call Marine Patrol and tell them
a whale told us there are whalers here?
You could hear their laughter without
using a radio. Set course for port.
You're gonna let them go.
We're due in port,
and port is where we're going.
- What would it take?
- Excuse me?
- For you to make the call.
- Proof. Show me proof, I'll call it in.
- That guy's a jerk.
- You're right. He's a jerk.
You just noticed this?
I thought you'd tell me
he's just doing his job.
- He is doing his job.
- The whalers are doing theirs.
We're gonna follow orders and do nothing
to stop them. It's not our problem.
You keep this up,
you're gonna get me fired.
If we can't follow the whales,
maybe we can get them to follow us.
Can't keep an eye on them all the time.
Today or next year...
...these monsters will find them. We
won't be there to do anything about it.
It's coming from that boat.
What is?
That sound that didn't
quite sound like a whale.
- What is it?
- I can tell you this:
Every time we find whales, that boat's
not far behind. There's that signal again.
They play the signal,
and the whales come.
- You have it on tape?
- Yes, sir.
So we could broadcast this
ourselves if we wanted to?
We'd have to go into port
for a few parts.
If they can do it, so can we.
You do what you have to do...
...to make that thing broadcast, and
we can make the whales come to us.
What's kujira?
- Where'd you pick that up?
- That's what Sanderson called the meat.
It's a kind of sushi.
It's a use for killer whales, Max.
We harvest the meat
and sell it to the Japanese to eat.
What?
You know what your grandfather
would say about that?
Is that God's work, son?
Sushi for the Japanese?
I don't get it.
God's work.
That's what Dad said whaling was.
For years, the whales they killed made
oil to fill the lamps that lit the world.
Whalers made light.
It was work that meant something then.
What does it mean now?
It means you have a light
to be what you are, to make a living.
That's what it means.
Hang on to it. It's going down.
- Hi. What can I get you?
- Two cups of coffee, please.
No sale. Coastal Marine Patrol doesn't
wanna know about a possible whaling ID.
- They say call when you have--
- Proof. I know. What do they call proof?
Short of actually catching them
red-handed, I have no idea.
- Can I get you anything else?
- That'll be all.
We have to get onboard.
Then we'd get the proof we need.
Onboard the Botany Bay?
A whaler ship, full of whalers.
Are you crazy?
I'm gonna check out some local
fish merchants, poke around.
See if I come up with
any hard evidence.
We stick out around here. That's
as dangerous as sneaking on their boat.
- That's why you're going back to the ship.
- I am?
- I've asked Drew to keep you busy.
- But--
I promised Ben and Annie, remember?
Now get going.
Drew's expecting you.
Nope.
Perfect. Great.
- Hi.
- You work on the boat?
Sure.
- What's your name?
- Max. What's yours?
Randolph.
So, what do you want?
- Well, I'm looking for work.
- Doing what?
I've done herring, mackerel, salmon...
- ...orca.
- What's orca?
Well, it's a type of whale.
I don't like them though. They stink.
Well, I kind of like them.
Hi, Dad.
- Who's your friend, Max?
- His name is Randolph.
How you doing?
- He's looking for work.
- Yeah.
- We're all crewed up.
- Okay.
Why don't you
show your friend out, Max.
He's not really my friend.
I'm gonna go see Mom now.
Sure.
See you around.
- I see you got Eddie working the hose.
- How you doing?
Just sign on the line.
What's going on?
- Hey, Max.
- I gotta go.
What's your dad really fishing for?
My dad's a salmon boat captain.
Yeah, well, he is.
- I lied to you.
- Big whoop.
- I'm not a whaler.
- So what?
Well, I'm sort of the opposite.
You're a whale?
No, but I'm trying to protect them.
- What he's doing is wrong. You know it.
- Who?
- Your dad.
- My dad's a salmon boat captain.
Why do you care, anyway?
If one of your friends was in trouble,
wouldn't you try to help?
- If I could.
- My friends are whales.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Sure you do.
- I'll show you.
- What?
The whales.
I'll introduce you. Come on.
Come here.
- That Game Boy shows where whales are?
- Not all. Just one.
Listen.
They're close.
- It's quite a sound, isn't it?
- Yeah.
- Do you know an orca is mostly water?
- Sure.
But did you know that when he sings,
you can feel the beat of his song...
...in time with the waves?
Why do they do that?
I say it's because
they're good musicians...
...but my friend thinks differently.
He says the whole earth is breathing...
...and that their song
is the earth breathing.
There they are.
- Can I look?
- Yeah. Here.
Oh, yeah.
Hey, boy.
Where'd he go?
He likes to play games.
What games does he know?
- Fetch. Fetch, by far, is his favorite.
- What does he fetch?
You'll see.
What?
I've never seen him take to anybody
like that before.
Except once.
I thought maybe he was like that
with everyone.
- He's only like that with family.
- I'm not his family.
Tell him that.
- Is this your job?
- Yeah.
- Do you like it?
- Yeah.
I didn't know people had jobs
like that.
- Neither did I.
- Hey, turn in there.
Me and my dad built this porch
last summer.
- It's a big family.
- Yeah.
What's it like
to have a big family?
- Just like any family, you know.
- No, I don't.
- This isn't right.
- What?
Even though he's doing
something wrong, he's still your dad.
You dropped this.
I don't want it.
Stop him myself.
- Where are you?
- Getting the proof we need.
- Where are you?
- If I tell you, promise not to be mad.
- Know what they'll do if they catch you?
- And if they catch Willy?
Right now, I'm more worried
about you than I am about Willy.
Listen. Wesley's still at the bar.
Keep him there.
I don't want this boat leaving
with me on it.
Sorry, gotta go!
Mom? What do you do if somebody makes
you do something you don't want to?
- Who?
- Just someone.
You should never let
other people tell you what to do.
Stick up for yourself.
Do what you think is right.
Do you always have to do what's right,
even if it hurts?
That's the hardest part.
You should do it even if it hurts.
- Is that what you do, Mom?
- I try my best.
- Bed.
- No.
- Bed.
- No.
We'll take two of the tall ones.
Thanks a lot.
Yeah, right.
You should go get the captain.
Take your time and get
a good night's sleep tonight.
- He wants to leave soon as we're ready.
- All right, all right.
Don't worry, I'll get those.
- I think I found something.
- Get out of there.
- They won't be here much longer.
- You gotta buy me more time.
What do you expect me to do?
- Ask them to dance or something.
- They're not my type.
- Wish me luck.
- Good luck.
- What if they catch him?
- Who?
Your father? He would never get caught.
- Would he have to go to jail?
- No. Is that what you're worried about?
- He would never have to go to jail.
- Then what would happen?
They'd take away his boat.
Maybe make him pay a fine.
Promise?
Yeah, I promise.
You know your father loves you
very much, don't you?
He does what he does for us. To make
us happy, put a roof over our heads.
- Yeah, but don't you ever wish--?
- No, I don't.
Don't you ever wish he would stop?
Don't you ever wish
he would do something else?
I love you, Max.
You could tell him.
He'd listen to you.
I believe in your dad.
I support him, for better or worse.
Good night, Max.
Kron says he's got everything
wired up, ready to go, so...
Cancel our order. Let's go.
Wesley!
- John Wesley! I thought it was you.
- Do I know you?
- Randolph?
- I remember you from the old days.
I hit the jackpot.
I don't remember you
from the old days.
But I remember you.
Boy, do I remember you.
Stop fooling around.
- We'll catch up next time, friend.
- You don't understand.
I know who you are and what you do.
I'm no friend of yours.
Great.
You're making a mistake.
I suggest you ride out
on the boat you came in on.
- Thanks.
- Don't mention it.
- The natives don't look too friendly.
- Let's get a drink.
- Dineen, make some coffee.
- Okay.
- Let's get the hell out of here.
- You got my vote.
Ready.
Standing by.
Star's aweigh.
Great.
- You dropped this.
- What are you doing here?
Getting in trouble.
So, what are we gonna do?
- We have to swim back to shore.
- We are not.
All right.
- What are you doing?
- See you later.
Here's your proof.
Pulled this out of Willy's tail...
...this I found under the deck
of the Botany Bay.
- We were right.
- I see.
- You gotta stop them.
- That's what we're gonna do.
We'll call in first thing in the morning.
We could put them out of business.
But only if we move now.
I won't risk $2 million worth of
equipment to do the Marine Patrol's job.
There are rules
that have to be followed.
Now why don't you just sit down,
and I'll get you a soda.
- We've got a very busy day ahead of us.
- No, thanks.
- I'm tired. Get some sleep.
- Suit yourself.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Thanks for all you've done.
- It was nothing.
No kidding.
Those guys left.
They're after the whole pod tonight.
Willy, Nicky, Nicky's baby.
Can I ask you a question?
- Ten years in jail.
- What?
The penalty for borrowing a boat
that's not yours. It's called piracy.
Ten years in jail. Do not pass GO.
Do not collect $200.
You're right. It was a bad idea.
Let's do it.
I'm down in Drake's room,
looking for the key.
What are you looking for?
- The spare starter key.
- You're stealing the boat?
Going after the whalers?
You'll go to jail.
- I can live with that.
- Why?
Because it's the right thing to do.
You work for me, Randolph.
You understand that?
I guess you'll have to fire me.
What if...
...I were to order you to ready
this boat for immediate departure?
It means you lose your job.
They told me to keep an eye on you.
That is exactly what I'm going to do.
Stevens, where did you put the boat?
- I don't hear anything.
- The whales will.
Okay. The signal we've stolen will
take out the whole pod in a week.
Tell Sanderson to arm the harpoon.
- Hi, Dad.
- What are you doing here?
I was looking for you.
I guess I fell asleep.
What's going on?
I have a question.
Here, take this.
Squeeze some oil in the pivot joint.
- Why is it wrong to hurt other people?
- That's the rule, Max. It just is.
Don't you ever want to do what you
want, no matter who it hurts?
Maybe. You just don't do it.
Why?
- Why what?
- Why don't you do it?
People have rights.
- Even people you hate?
- Yep.
- I didn't know I had rights.
- You do.
- Dad?
- Yes, Max.
What if whales are like people?
- They aren't.
- But what if they are?
Whales are animals. They were
put here by God for us to hunt.
Do you get upset
eating a cheeseburger?
- Why not?
- Whales don't feel. They aren't people.
They're just fish.
You're wrong.
- You know better than me? You're 10.
- But you're wrong, Dad.
I've been wrong all my life. And my dad,
and his dad. We're all wrong.
- You're hurting people.
- Who? I'm not hurting anyone.
- Captain.
- What is it this time?
Sorry, captain,
but I think you should know.
I found this in the engine room.
J-Pod's turning around.
They're heading right for the Botany Bay.
Where are they?
From the sound of it, about five
kilometers north-northwest. And closing.
This thing works like a charm.
They've stolen your signal.
Willy won't know the difference.
- They're swimming into a trap.
- Thinking it's me.
I can't see a thing.
We'd better hurry.
Something just occurred to me.
When we find them,
what are we gonna do?
Here they are.
Ten o'clock.
Let's go.
- We're too late.
- They're around the point.
- We just need a few minutes.
- We don't have a few minutes.
Okay.
Hold her steady.
Hey, Dad!
Max, don't you dare!
Man overboard!
- Go! Go! Go! Go!
- Hard aport!
Yes, sir!
- Now go astern!
- Hard astern!
Botany Bay is turning around.
They're doing a circle.
Why would they do that?
Max, grab the ring.
Say you're wrong!
- Come out now, or you'll freeze to death.
- No!
Grab it, Max! Grab the ring now!
Get below.
- Let's go.
- All right.
There she is.
Botany Bay, this is the Noah.
We know what you're doing.
If you harm these whales...
- What now?
- You'll be fired upon.
You will be fired upon.
- We don't have anything to fire with.
- They don't know that.
- They're on them.
- Figured they would be. Take over.
- What do I do?
- You just steer. It's easy.
- Ready the spear guns.
- Right away.
Noah, this is the Botany Bay.
We're fishing for salmon.
Please stay clear of us.
We can't see a thing in this fog.
Coastal Marine Patrol,
this is the Noah.
- Mayday. There's been a collision.
- You better let me steer.
No.
- Dad!
- Shoot it now!
- Fire!
- Willy, stop!
Willy, no!
Okay.
There. Come on.
- Hi.
- Hi.
A cheeseburger saved your life.
You were right.
You made a mistake.
What am I supposed to do now?
I'm a whaler. That's what I am.
Not to me.
You're my dad.
- It's not what I would have done.
- What do you mean?
Some guy tries to kill me, I wouldn't
save his life. I would have bit his butt.
- Well, maybe he's smarter than we are.
- Or more human.
Willy's gonna make a good father.
Don't you think?
When the time comes.
Hey, Willy!
I like it, Drew. Brings out your eyes.
Well, one of them, at least.
- You guys.
- Jesse, look.
What are you gonna name him?
- What do you say, Jesse?
- I don't know.
- What do you say?
- Me?
I say we name him after his dad.
Well, I say we name him Max.