Hot on the heels of Resident Evil, where Austin Abrams played a bumbling screwup trying to deliver a package in a zombie-infested city, Abrams is back in a new thriller, Whalefall.  The film, based on the novel by Daniel Kraus, follows Abrams as Jay Gardiner, a teenage scuba diver grieving the death of his father (Josh Brolin). In an attempt to recover his body, Jay is swallowed by a sperm whale and must fight to survive inside the belly of the beast. With only one hour of oxygen left, he must use the survival skills his father taught him to make it out alive. 

20th Century Fox held early access screenings last week, and the first reactions have now surfaced.  Several people praised Austin Abrams’ performance, with one reviewer saying, “Whalefall is a blast, and it firmly cements Austin Abrams as one of fall’s most exciting rising stars.” Another review called the film “an intense rollercoaster of a survival thriller, with an incredible performance once again by Austin Abrams.” Other reviews praised the film’s mature storytelling. One review said, “The entire thing is buoyed by an emotional core that’ll make you blubber.” Still, some reactions noted the film being “overly sentimental” and having a bit of an absurd ending. 

Whalefall hits theaters on October 16.