Fathom

Watching the scientists research the mysteries of humpback whales is an inspiring tribute to the power of curiosity, purpose, and the triumphant joy of adding one more piece to the jigsaw puzzle of knowledge.

Fathom, like the study of whalesong, isn’t just about the whales––it’s also about how we can bridge the gap between “human” and “nature” to create something meaningful. Its unhurried, contemplative pace and gorgeous nature cinematography are a welcome reminder to appreciate the wilderness still inherent in all of us.

Keeping the camera on Fournet and Garland may reduce the screentime of the actual humpbacks, but Xanthopoulos is more interested in the research process, the passion and devotion the two have for their work, and capturing not just the thrills and the agony, but also more contemplative moments of of reflection and motivation.

Throughout, there are moments when you may feel as if Drew Xantholoulos could push harder on the film’s philosophical implications.

Meditative more than dynamic, it’s a film about communication in which the mammoth mammals are as elusive as the people tracking them.

The balance between the humanistic and academic is way off.

Fathom presumably gets its name from both the watery depths and the attempt to understand these mysterious aquatic mammals, but it doesn’t delve deeply enough into either the science or the scientists.