“In the Heart of the Sea” is a movie about the retelling of the story that became Moby-Dick, the book. Or maybe it is the story of those done-in by Moby Dick, the whale. It slights the conveyance of the story to author Melville, while the sea-going adventures are portrayed better than many that rely on CGI for their scenery.

Watch “Genius” if you want a film that delivers the angst of authorship more adeptly. Watch “Master and Commander …” for a movie that seizes the seas in a far better manner.