In the Heart of the Sea (2015), directed by Ron Howard, recounts the true story of the whaling ship Essex, whose 1820 disaster inspired Moby-Dick. The ship, led by Captain George Pollard Jr. and first mate Owen Chase, is destroyed by a massive, vengeful sperm whale while hunting deep in the Pacific. Stranded thousands of miles from land, the surviving crew faces starvation, despair, and moral dilemmas as they drift on lifeboats for months. The film explores themes of survival, leadership, and humanity’s fraught relationship with nature, weaving a gripping tale of resilience and tragedy.