Josh Brolin's New Survival Thriller Earns Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Score

Published Oct 15, 2026, 11:03 AM EDT

Fariba Rezwan is a Lead Editor for the Movie News team. She has been with ScreenRant for nearly five years, with roles ranging from list editor to junior news editor. 

During that time, Fariba has led coverage for breaking movies and TV news, including Hunger Games, Marvel, and streaming. Additionally, she has actively provided commentary and reactions to the biggest movies and shows on her YouTube channel, The Movieception Show. 

Josh Brolin rebounds with a new killer movie.

After Weapons' major success last year, Brolin reunites with Adam Abrams as a father-and-son duo in the new thriller Whalefall. Abrams portrays Jay Gardiner, a scuba diver who goes into the ocean to search for his father's remains, but the situation escalates as he has an hour to escape a sperm whale. The movie has one of the year's most adrenaline-fueled trailers, building a lot of anticipation ahead of its release.

Now, the first reviews are in to determine whether the wait was worth it. With 78 reviews, Whalefall debuts to a solid 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. For Abrams, that's his seventh straight movie to be designated "fresh," and he's still fresh off the major hit Zach Cregger's Resident Evil (96%). It's also a major year for the young star, as he leads both projects after a long stint in supporting roles.

Meanwhile, Whalefall serves as a rebound for Brolin after Ridley Scott's sci-fi thriller The Dog Stars (41%) failed to impress critics earlier this year. Lastly, it's director Brian Duffield's fourth-highest-rated movie, just behind Spontaneous (96%), Love and Monsters (94%), and No One Will Save You (82%).

Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order.

Critics agree that the selling point is Abrams' grounded performance as his protagonist is trapped inside a sperm whale in a claustrophobic situation. The survival thriller also has a high concept, amplified by set pieces and visuals that heighten the intensity of the survival circumstances. However, some critics say the thriller suffers from tonal issues, especially as the flashback clashes with the intense action. Additionally, some complained that the dark visuals were sometimes difficult to see.

In ScreenRant's review of Whalefall, Liz Declan was disappointed that the "basic idea fell apart on screen in a movie that clearly had a fascinating concept but failed to deliver on the narrative." While praising Abrams' near-solo performance as the standout, the review says it couldn't overcome the movie's technical and structural issues, such as tonal clashes and indistinct visuals.

With most of the reception leaning positive, that bodes well for box-office potential. The Whalefall trailer fueled that hype with an exhilarating early-year first look, while Resident Evil likely ballooned Abrams' stardom. However, the upcoming survival thriller faces tough competition from other new releases, including Street Fighter, Sense and Sensibility, and the viral Elizabeth Holmes documentary, You Can See Everything.

Currently, Whalefall is projecting a $10 million to $12 million debut, putting it just behind Street Fighter. That's a moderate opening weekend for a $60 million movie, and positive reviews could boost its box-office performance. However, the movie's success may come down to audience response and whether word of mouth can improve its commercial prospects.

Elizabeth Shue, John Ortiz, Jane Levy, and Emily Rudd round out the supporting cast. Duffield also co-wrote the screenplay with Daniel Kraus, who also penned the original 2023 novel. The book was well received and appeared on many top lists, including the New York Times' Best Thrillers of 2023.

Whalefall will be in theaters on October 16, 2026.

Cast

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  Austin Abrams

  Jay Gardiner

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  Mitt Gardiner

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  Zara Gardiner

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  Jane Levy

  Eva Gardiner