Killer Whale (2026) Review

 

Maddie and Trish seek solace in a remote Thai atoll-like lagoon. Their escape becomes a nightmare when Ceto—a vengeful, mistreated orca freshly freed from captivity at a water park—invades the trapped waters. Stranded on a rock with no food or rescue, the women battle a brilliant, merciless predator.

Directed by Jo-Anne Brechin and starring Virginia Gardner as Maddie, Killer Whale leans into a tried-and-tested survival template familiar from 47 Metres Down, The Shallows, Open Water and many other shark survival films. Opening with a great kill setup, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the staging or even the premise. An apex predator remains a solid foundation for tension. Gardner, in particular, gives the film credibility. Her performance is committed, physical and emotionally grounded. She carries the narrative through sheer screen presence, making Maddie – alongside Mel Jarnson’s Trish – resourceful, vulnerable and watchable throughout.

Where the film falters is in its execution: the special effects, sadly, let it down. In a subgenre that depends heavily on believability, the visual renderings – including the backgrounds – often pull the audience out of the moment rather than immersing them in it. What could have rivalled the tight suspense of its aquatic predecessors instead becomes overshadowed by effects that lack weight and realism.

It’s especially frustrating because Jo-Anne Brechin and Katharine McPhee’s writing rightly gives the orca its emotional intelligence and rich thematic potential. There are hints of something more layered beneath the surface, a suggestion that the creature is more than a simple monster. And if it weren’t for the special effects, the film had clout which may have elevated it beyond standard predator fare.
The final act, too, feels like a missed opportunity. A more satisfying resolution – something closer in spirit to a Free Willy-style but grounded ending – may have provided emotional payoff rather than what we were given.

Killer Whale is not without merit. Virginia Gardner’s performance deserves praise, and the core concept remains strong. But in a genre where atmosphere and credibility are everything, the weak effects ultimately hold it back from the gripping survival thriller it might have been.