Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove

John and I recently rented The Soloist at one of those redbox machines. The movie was incredible in many ways and it left me with many thoughts and questions.

However, before the movie even started, I was disturbed after watching a preview for a new Free Willy movie.

They are still making those!?!

Why?

I remember loving those movies as a kid. I especially liked Free Willy 2 because I thought the boy was cute.

But I grew up and I watched the news. I learned that Keiko was the whale's real name. I learned that his life story was far from pretty and happy. I learned that he wasn't free after all.

Keiko lived most of his life in captivity and when he was finally released, he didn't know how to be an orca anymore. He needed to be fed by humans and his favorite activity was playing with people - even letting fans crawl over his back. No orca pod 'adopted' him.

Keiko died after beaching himself in Taknes Bay, Norway while under the care of personnel from Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society on December 12, 2003, at 27 years of age. Pneumonia was later determined as his probable cause of death.

I think that living in captivity for so long was his only problem.

Knowing this makes me sad that there is another Free Willy movie coming out. It makes me sad that there is another "Keiko" in captivity.

P.S. John thought this post does not fit this blog. But seriously, I was sad to know they made a new Free Willy movie :(
I am not as environmental as I should be, but I enjoy seeing whales free, in the ocean...