In nature, everything is connected. There is a synergy between all living things and one thoughtless action can have a larger fallout then intended, effectively harming an entire ecosystem. Coextinction brings to light the chain of events that is leading to the near extinction of the Southern Resident killer whales. These Orcas have lived in the Pacific Northwest for almost one million years and there are less than one hundred left to date. If immediate action is not taken, this generation will be the last to bask in the beauty of these sacred creatures. 

Viewers familiar with the 2013 documentary Blackfish would know the issues of keeping Orcas in captivity, but may not fully understand how harsh life is in the wild as well. To set the stage and display the level of devastation, Coextinction promptly introduces the audience to whale J35, also known as Tahlequah. On July 24, 2018 she gave birth to a calf, Tali, that sadly passed away within a half-hour of her birth. Tahlequah carried Tali’s remains with her for seventeen days, alerting global attention to the Southern Resident killer whales' struggle to survive. During the process of trying to understand what threatens these killer whales, filmmakers Gloria Pancrazi and Elena Jean discovered the root cause goes much deeper than they originally had thought. 

The Orca’s major struggle is malnutrition. It was ascertained that their sonar waves were being interrupted due to the noise pollution of shipping lanes, making it harder for the whales to obtain nourishment. After further investigation, Pancrazi and Jean realized that their main food source, chinook salmon, was dwindling. Excess amounts of fish farms have interrupted the natural supply chain, not only affecting the Orcas, but 136 other species as well. 

It is truly astonishing to bear witness to the excruciating downfall of a species. Both Pancrazi and Jean could no longer stand by and watch, they took the initiative to dedicate the rest of their lives to saving the Southern Resident killer whales. Their form of storytelling feels very intimate, as the audience gets to be a part of every discovery. Their journey leads them to native Indigenous leaders who have been battling to protect these lands and its wildlife for centuries. Pancrazi and Jean not only give their voices this larger platform but join them in arms. It is through their shared bond that they are able to make bigger discoveries and understand the plight of the whales. 

Coextinction is rare in the way it exposes a network of issues and the inherent connections they have to the survival of multiple species. Many documentaries struggle with tunnel vision, often only focusing on one major subject at a time. But knowing how akin so many species struggles are, it is an injustice to exclude the shared repercussions.

Pancrazi and Jean have created a highly empathetic and emotional documentary. Being a story of their personal self-education, the message never feels forceful. The audience journeys through their independent mystery and become a part of the investigation. Coextinction not only discusses the array of issues facing the killer whales, chinook salmon, and other wildlife, but broadcasts the capitalist causes while retaining a coherent narrative thread. The goals for change are clearly stated, put front and center in hopes to rile up the audience and invoke their sense of activism. In spite of the many negatives, Coextinction’s purpose is to inspire hope and change for our collective future. We are part of this interconnected web and it is our responsibility to defend it.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?