2010: Moby Dick

In the film, the story begins on November 20, 1969, when a US submarine named the USS Acushnet is operating near Soviet waters, deep beneath the Arctic ice. During a routine dive, young Ahab listens intently for enemy submarines and suddenly detects an unknown, ominous target. Despite the captain’s initial skepticism and hearing nothing unusual, Ahab is convinced there is an unseen presence, describing it as an “emptiness.” As the submarine ventures further, the unknown object dives into a trench, prompting the captain to shift focus from searching to photographing what they are witnessing.

Unexpectedly, the submerged target ambushes the Acushnet, resulting in a fierce attack. During the chaos, Ahab hears a deafening roar as the creature, a colossal, white, whale-like entity, reveals itself. The encounter ends tragically: Ahab survives but loses his leg in the attack, as the beast drags the rest of the submarine back into the icy depths. This harrowing event marks his obsession with hunting down the white whale, a trauma that will shape his future actions.

Fast forward to the present day, where Dr. Michelle Herman and her assistant Pip are testing a whale song generator, attempting to mimic and understand whale vocalizations. Their work is interrupted when the USS Pequod surfaces unexpectedly behind them. The crew, led by Captain Ahab, who is now an older man, insists they board the submarine. Ahab’s presence is reminiscent of his past obsession, and he eagerly shares a vintage recording of a whale – the same one he captured during their initial encounter. He is determined to find the beast once more, despite concerns from others about his risky pursuit.

Meanwhile, in San Diego, Captain Boomer, another survivor of the original attack from 1969, is tasked with investigating strange sightings and attacks attributed to the white whale. His suspicions are confirmed when he deduces that Ahab is hunting for Moby Dick, a legendary, monstrous whale that has now become a biological threat rather than just a marine myth.

As the story unfolds, a series of devastating encounters take place. The USS Essex, searching for the Pequod near Hawaii, detects the whale using active sonar. However, the whale, which seems more creature than animal, quickly turns hostile. They engage in a dangerous confrontation, where the whale attacks the submarine, leading to the Essex’s destruction by a torpedo. In a critical twist, the Pequod surfaces at the same location, only to find the floating corpses of the Essex crew, fueling Ahab’s relentless drive.

The pursuit intensifies when a helicopter encounters the Pequod while it follows a massive 600-foot target. In a desperate act, the crew fires a nuclear missile at the creature, only to watch it be devoured alive by Moby Dick amidst confusion about what they are fighting — a whale or a creature of biological terror.

The whale next attacks the cruise liner the S.S. Rachel, prompting Michelle to activate her whalesong generator, which temporarily riles the beast but also provokes it into attacking the Pequod, damaging it severely. Ahab devises a daring plan: firing a harpoon fashioned from thewreckage of the Acushnet into the whale’s eye, forcing Moby Dick to dive deeper. However, the enormous pressure causes the line to snap, and the submarine surfaces to confront the beast.

The colossal whale re-emerges, leading to a tense standoff at a shallow atoll. The crew sends out small boats armed with guns and Ahab’s harpoon. Despite their efforts, Queequeg is tragically killed in the ensuing chaos. Ahab, now determined to end their nightmare, fires his harpoon into the whale’s other eye, but Moby Dick destroys his boat and kills him in the process.

As the creature turns to destruction, the remaining crew, including Starbuck and Pip, follow Ahab’s final orders and launch nukes at the island where the whale seems to be retreating. The giant creature easily dodges the missiles, and as the island is obliterated, the whale survives and disappears into the abyss, hinting that the threat is far from over.

The film concludes with Michelle swimming to the surface as a rescue helicopter arrives, hinting at the ongoing danger posed by the incredible white beast and Ahab’s obsession with hunting it down. The story blends elements of adventure, science fiction, and horror, exploring themes of obsession, nature’s fury, and mankind’s relentless pursuit of mythical monsters.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:15