The Sea Beast

The film stars the voices of Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste. It tells the story of a sea monster hunter and a young orphan girl who joins his group of sea monster hunters on their search for the elusive Red Bluster.

The film began a limited theatrical release on June 24, 2022, before debuting on Netflix on July 8. It received critical acclaim and became the most-successful Netflix original animated film, with 165 million hours viewed over its first five months of release. The film earned several nominations, including Best Animated Feature at the 95th Academy Awards, only to lose to another Netflix original animated film, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. A sequel is in development.

The hunters are supported by the King and Queen of The Crown by means of the Three Bridges Society as a result of the hunters’ success over the centuries. After nearly being killed during a hunt, Crow tells Jacob he will make him captain once they kill “Red Bluster”, who took his left eye years earlier.

The crew returns to Three Bridges to collect payment for their latest catch, but the King and Queen inform them that they will soon be replaced by the modern naval vessel Imperator, headed by Admiral Eric Hornagold, on the grounds that the hunters are too expensive and technologically obsolete. This angers Crow and Sarah and nearly results in their arrest before Jacob proposes that his crew be given one more chance to kill Red Bluster as a test of worth. Admiral Hornagold accepts, with the Crown declaring a contest between the crews of the Imperator and Inevitable and the winner being allowed to hunt the sea beasts in their name.

After they depart, the crew discovers an orphan girl named Maisie Brumble has stowed away on the ship to join them, having been inspired to do so by her late parents, who were themselves hunters. The Inevitable finds and attacks Red Bluster. When the ship is in danger of being pulled under, against Crow’s orders, Jacob hesitantly allows Maisie to cut Bluster free, which saves the crew, but lets the monster escape and throws Jacob and Maisie into the sea. Angered, Crow holds both of them at gunpoint and demands Jacob bring Maisie to him before Bluster emerges from the depths and swallows Maisie and Jacob whole.

Jacob and Maisie are taken to an isolated island populated by several other beasts. Maisie discovers that Bluster is not malicious and befriends the beast, renaming her Red, while also befriending a smaller beast named Blue. Maisie begins to believe the monsters are really just misunderstood creatures, which Jacob initially denies. Jacob and Maisie convince Red to take them to Rum Pepper Island, so they can secure a ship to return to Three Bridges.

Believing Jacob to be dead, a grieving Crow seeks out the renowned hunter and merchant Gwen Batterbie, who gives Crow a poison-tipped harpoon powerful enough to kill Red. While travelling on Red’s back, Jacob and Maisie bond with the creature and each other, with Jacob growing to support Maisie’s belief that the beasts are innocent. They reach Rum Pepper Island but discover the Imperator and Hornagold are stationed there. Red attacks the vessel after being shot at and inadvertently wounds Maisie in the scuffle.

After she destroys the Imperator, Jacob stops Red’s rampage and prevents her from killing Hornagold but re-engages after she spots the Inevitable, and nearly dies after being struck with the poison-tipped harpoon, with Crow keeping her alive long enough to bring her to The Crown as a trophy. Maisie is nursed back to health, but then imprisoned aboard the Inevitable as it arrives at Three Bridges with Red in tow. After Blue frees Maisie, she realizes the hatred of sea beasts is simply propaganda created by the Crown to extend their corrupt rule.

Crow prepares to publicly execute Red before being stopped by Jacob. Crow and Jacob fight, while Maisie and Sarah, who begins to believe Maisie’s worldview of the beasts, free Red from her binds. Maisie and Jacob convince Red to spare Crow, subsequently exposing The Crown for their deceptions. After witnessing the passive nature of the beasts, Crow and the people of the kingdom renounce their beliefs. With Red and the other sea beasts left alone, Maisie, Jacob, and Blue begin their new lives together as a family.