One of my all-time Top 10 Hidden Gems, Big Miracle is anchored by an all-star cast and it's a fascinating (now mostly forgotten) true story to boot.

This was a very compelling film about the three ice locked whales in Alaska 1988. I remember hearing about this when it actually happened but wasn't aware of all the details. It's worth the watch.

I watched this on DVD recently, a decade or so after it's release, and more than three decades after the true story. Now, if you happen to be an Alaskan Eskimo, you will be familiar with the goings on in the Arctic and this film may seem ordinary and somewhat dull. However, for everyone else, the film is a fascinating adventure about the amazing true life and death story of a family of stranded whales. Within minutes, I was completely hooked, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it through to it's conclusion. Yes, it has some sorrow, but the main theme is of people from opposing viewpoints coming together to work as a team to help save the whales. I thought all the actors did a great job bringing the story to life, and I found the film impressively realistic and immersive. The film has a huge feel good factor, which makes it easy to recommend.

This is a nice, family friendly film. Its relatively entertaining, an easy-ish watch if a little overly sentimental. Its based on a true story, which makes it more interesting, although it did feel a little bland mid way through. I thought Drew Barrymore did well portraying the (if anything overly) emotional Greenpeace activist, clearly determined to do all she can for the whales. However, its not at all a memorable film I'd say. Its a diverting watch but its certainly no great shakes, I'm afraid and so I wouldn't recommend it as such.

Best family entertainment, great & fresh drama.

A miracle can be small or very big Within everyone there is hope, light, and love Taking place in Barrow, Alaska and based on the 1988 true story of 3 gray whales trapped in the ice but with the effort of the townsfolk they are able to make sure they survive A likable cast from John Krasinski to Drew Barrymore to Dermott Mulroney to Ted Danson to Kristen Bell Tv reporter Adam Carlson is running low on stories yet he finds the biggest one in a small Alaskan town when he finds a family of whales trapped by the freezing waters Then an environmentalist Rachel Kramer offers to help them get to safety An international coalition then begins begging the world to listen and do their part in the cause They try to combat corrupt politics, whalers on the water, and the extreme elements After all these whales make a natural trek 5,000 miles from the north all the way to Baja, Mexico These animals like any are like us; they're vulnerable, afraid, and unsure of what to do They know they're in trouble and we need help sometimes too The film feels longer than it should but gets by thanks to some touching performances and a real-life story just resonates with family viewers despite being quite pedestrian Thankfully no big lectures or dismissals for viewers just a nice viewing

I really enjoyed "Big Miracle." Of course, Drew Barrymore is fun to watch, and the story is heartwarming. For me, the big attraction is that it's based on a true story, which I read the history of. Of course, in the movie, there are personal-interest subplots that are fiction. But the main events in the movie regarding freeing the whales are historically accurate.

Poignant, inspiring and bolstered by the performances of its two leads, this true story save-the-animals drama is an effective, satisfying film that the entire family can enjoy.

Disneyfied heart warming tale based on true story. Romantic subplots, of course.

its its an excellent movie on 3 whales

Cheesy feel good movie. Well casted, otherwise I wouldn’t waste my time on this.

a good movie, I will purchase it on blu-ray when it becomes available.

Fun family movie. It is quit an amazing story. The CGI was not the greatest but the robots were pretty good. 7.9/10

(5.5 out of 6 Stars) When what we can't see no longer we are taught and passed down over the years to see how life was and is now. When we are keen to seeing when we are always on camera. When we see more then the eye can see when we can see through the hard outer shell and see that life gives us gifts. When somethings we see are a good fit when we see a high cholorestoral food is good for temperatures and people who could see to benefit it. When we see somethings that others don't normally see, we capture the human side in how to see wildlife. When we see other things when they are out of place. When we see that being human means we protect those whom are smaller then us to see they are safe. When we see that some tasks are impossible but when we see that wh en are able to break though the hard shell of things difficult possibilities can surface. When others don't see that they come to see later in life, when we don't care how we see it but how others see it when we see life differently. When we see others only see life and resources are for profit yo not see or care how others see it. When we see that we must do something when we see we combine viewers, media, human and wild life in the mix to see what works when we see problems we yet have to solve but see we know what people like to see when they are human life stories that captivate us to help and reach out in places we don't normally see. When others don't care much about life when they are art, priceless, and decor to see, but others do when we come from all walks of life to see we like what we see and others we dont like seeing for long. When what we see we dig deeper when we see we can solve problems we have seen for a long time to see some resources we put to good use. When we see possibilities all around us, when we see we are in positions of influence. When we don't see somethings coming when out of the blue what we see others quickly get a closer and deeper view of when we see the world see somethings we see when we need to help. When we see some life as helpless, to see we need to help see they continue. When we see somethings another way when we see ratings, promotions that can surface, the possibilities that can arise when we see we save the current ways of life for ourselves worth. When we need to run what we see through the eyes of those in charge or higher then us yo see if we can do it. When we don't see other things whom see us in that light for along time to see we like whom we see to only see they remain warm. When we see we run things through others whom see first hand what to do and see to see through projects are done accordingly to what others dont see. When what we see, is how life is handled down here when we see life as a gift sent to us to make us live. When we see there are many perspectives in what we need to see, when we have a lot riding in what we continue to see when we depend on life to survive when it comes to work, money, livlihoods, traditions, our heart, campaigns, our viewership and relationships with what we currently see a new world, people different from us, animals, and our traditions. When we see we must protect our people eyes in what they see to now block them but let them decide in what is right and wrong paths to take while they enjoy all life that comes to them and see whom they are. When others don't see, we see that there is profit everywhere that is worth a price. When we don't see the fresh eyes can see life is what is given to us for us to see in the future. When we see outcomes of today that others can't see to stop, we know we see whom to blame and not see when they failed us. When we see that we need others to see somethings differently when they are depended on being seen in that light where the world is seeing life that way. When we don't see what makes us see is not taking advantage of what we see. When life out here we see is difficult, that we don't see many volunteering their time to see life is carried forward to see we treat them with respect. When what we see today, we thank those from making us continue to see for the future. When we see all of what life has to bring and their challenges to be prepared for all what outcomes to face. When we see that life faces tremendous amounts of challenges we don't see that we don't see pity in their eyes yo help. When we see we are all responsible for what we don't see no more to see we can't allow other walks of life yo face the same fate. When we see that life is different our here, that they don't enjoy the same luxuries as others do to remain and see they handle life differently. When we see that we take life for granted that we see plenty of that we use in whatever way we see that makes us inhuman and see life is not worth living. When we see life out here are just like us in various places to see we can't hog life to ourselves but share with the world what we see that they can continue to see when what makes the world what it is, are the things we don't normally see taking their time and energy  to see life is taken care of when majority of the world rather see other things more to care. When we see that we must save life that takes alot of life to keep seeing. When we see this world is vast to keep seeing what we see, to see we control predators and prey that exist. When we see we do things on behalf of others yo see we control life and the non life part of the world that we see we remain on top of the world. When we see we arrive yo late on somethings we dont see, to make others see what gifts we bring. When being human we see everything to be prepared and see we have the best solutions to when the time comes to see we are on top. When others don't see or believe to make them see. When we don't believe what we see what some occurences reach severe yo try anything. When we see we can't allow nature to see it there way when life grows, and takes life to places they never wish to be when predators scare those to death thst we see them fleeing for their life in hostile places that makes life hard to live out here. When we see that when we hang around the right people we see first hand whom is responsible for saving and taking lives we see. When we need to see somethings move forward when they could need a boost we see they need when many depend on them, to see we carry out "the word" from God and those powers higher then us to see that we don't fail on life. When we see we can't do things alone in this world to rely on those whom can see the job done and not fail close to us. When what we don't see, is when those in power have great pride to see we move slowly then act fast when life poses it's problems. When we don't see somethings coming, when we don't see what we know, before it's too late and we see our mistakes later. When we see we can't invest ourselves to such stories that influences us to go another way that we stick to what we see to continue seeing when some stories are our job thst gives us our livlihoods. When we see we must steer the paths for those to see to get them out of what harms them or threatens them when life is at stake. When we see others have great pride over helping and not failing to move forward with the thrust to push through every obstacle they face. When what we see we couldn't do without their eyes in seeing it the human way. When moving forward, impacting ourselves with life that don't matter to us, we surround ourselves with what matters and what we care to see when we have something to share it with and begin seeing life how it intended to be. When what we see others see that they continuely opportunize and see the greater worth of it all that impacts those whom truly see and make their lives difficult in seeing. When we wish to see more paths to these real human life stories, they quickly freeze over by those whom dont wish to see fraud, those whom dont wish to see it become a regular occurence, when we only see great human life stories once to care. When we don't see the paths these people take for people to care and not freeze over those paths, we don't see the greater picture in seeing we ought to do more for places, environments where they can only do less to help before it's too late. When what makes us human is what we see our future challenges to have an answer to, to say we came this close to not fail. When we are the top of life to see we have a responsibility to see we carry life forward, with us. When the world is all connected to see we have every possible resource or solution to anything that conflicts with us. When what we font see is the real human life story in what an animal or what life does to us that impacts us and moves us that we become more human with it then without it, that we wish to see many people see like that when life is precious and means a lot yo those whom invest their time and efforts to see it move forward that they are the true human story to what we should see.

It's good movie to watch

I love how this film combines optimism with realism. The non-profit world is portrayed just as humanly as the political world and big business. There are no real good guys or bad guys, just people doing their things and sometimes - when they show their better sides - make a big miracle happen together :)

Hard to say something bad about Big Miracle. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for screenwriting and editing, depicting perfectly the evolution of an environmental fait divers with symbolic, social and geopolitical consequences.

a nice little family movie. I was really interested in this due to the fact it was filmed in my home state of Alaska. the acting is decent and done well enough to keep the story going, which is also a nice story. it give you time to know the whales. based on a true event back in the 80s, this makes a nice little film to watch over all.

Truly a family movie with an inspiring story about helping the animals..

It's a cute story and for what it is well made. It's very predictable and too charming but it works as good clean entertainment for the whole family. Good cast.