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Leviathan is a documentary film directed by Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor. The movie premiered in 2012 at the Locarno Film Festival to critical acclaim and was lauded for its innovative filmmaking techniques and stunning visuals. The film is shot entirely on-board a commercial fishing vessel, the North Atlantic fishing trawler, which embarks on a perilous journey in the harsh waters off the coast of Massachusetts.

The movie starts by introducing the viewer to the crew of the fishing trawler - Captain Sean McManus, first mate Adrian Guillette, and deckhands Brian Jannelle and Arthur Smith. All of them are seasoned seamen who have been fishing for years and are familiar with the challenges and dangers associated with their job.

The film immerses the viewer in the ship's daily life, showcasing the grueling work the crew must do to catch fish in the middle of the ocean. We follow them as they haul nets filled with fish, gutting and cleaning their catches, and battling the raging seas that threaten to capsize their vessel at any moment.

Throughout the movie, the directors use a variety of experimental techniques to present a unique perspective of the fishing industry. They use handheld cameras to move and zoom in on the crew's actions, and mount cameras on the ship's mast and hull to achieve a chaotic, sensory overload that mirrors the experience of being at sea. The absence of narration or interviews allows the viewer to experience the visceral, unfiltered rawness of the crew's experience.

The film's title, Leviathan, takes on multiple meanings throughout the movie. The first is a biblical allusion, referencing the sea monster that God defeats in the Old Testament. The second, a nod to Thomas Hobbes' treatise on the state of nature, in which the Leviathan represents an all-powerful government that ensures people's protection and peace.

In contrast to these interpretations, the crew's struggle against nature highlights the irreducible anarchism of the sea. They are subject to the whims of currents, storms, and the fickle moods of marine life. And yet, the captain and crew battle on, to keep the ship afloat and return with a profitable haul.

Leviathan also showcases the grim reality of the commercial fishing industry. The crew's work is characterized by long hours, intense physical labor, and constant danger. The existential threat of injury and death is present at all times—terribly embodied in a painful moment where a crew member has his hand severely injured by the fishing nets.

As the movie progresses, the camera takes on a more abstract quality, emphasizing the natural processes that dominate the fishermen's world. Close-ups of rotting fish and swarming seagulls evoke a primal, elemental force that threatens to overwhelm the human efforts to dominate and commodify nature. The film's final shot of a seagull flying off into the sky without any human presence, broadens its meaning even more, giving the viewer the impression that nature will continue on, despite whatever man throws at it.

In conclusion, Leviathan is a groundbreaking documentary that transcends the traditional standards of filmmaking to present a raw, immersive, and ultimately thought-provoking meditation on man's relationship with nature. From its experimental techniques to its symbolic overtones, the film demands the viewer's undivided attention and rewards it with a poetic, immersive experience. Recommended for anyone interested in experimental cinema, the environment, or for those who seek films that challenge them to expand their perspectives on the world.

Leviathan is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5 and a MetaScore of 81.