Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- melancholic
- mournful
- 1970s horror marathon
- maritime creature feature night
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded Orca as an inept and derivative Jaws imitation whose marine photography and effects were undermined by weak storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The killer whale pursues Captain Nolan and the harbor community after Nolan's actions kill its mate and calf.
The harbor, fishing boats, and open ocean become progressively threatening as the whale brings the conflict into its own environment.
The whale's rampage follows the witnessed deaths of its mate and child, giving the animal's attacks an emotionally legible motive.
Its killer-whale premise, natural-threat structure, and marketing-era positioning directly follow the success of Jaws.
Films like Orca, and why
Jaws
animal revenge horror, maritime setting, and a human community threatened by a powerful aquatic predator
Moby Dick
man-versus-beast adventure, oceanic setting, and obsessive pursuit of a formidable animal
The Birds
natural horror built around an animal threat, human culpability, and escalating disaster-film suspense
King Kong
1970s creature-feature spectacle combining adventure, revenge, and peril at sea
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Anderson
- Release Date
- 1977-07-22
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (486)
Cast
- Richard Harris
- Charlotte Rampling
- Will Sampson
- Bo Derek
- Keenan Wynn
- Robert Carradine
- Scott Walker
- Peter Hooten
- Wayne Heffley
- Vincent Gentile
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Orca about?
- A grieving killer whale wages a relentless maritime vendetta against the fisherman whose actions destroyed its family.
- What is Orca like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Orca as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Orca violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Orca as moderate.
- What did critics think of Orca?
- Critics broadly regarded Orca as an inept and derivative Jaws imitation whose marine photography and effects were undermined by weak storytelling.
- Which films are like Orca?
- Films with a similar feel include Jaws, Moby Dick, The Birds, and King Kong.
- How long is Orca?
- Orca runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Orca?
- In United States, Orca is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
