When director Louie Psihoyos and his investigative entourage snuck into the tiny seaside town of Taiji, Japan, they began to uncover the most revolting and perilous exploitations in history, in a town that appears to be devoted to the sea animals that swim off their coast.

The Cove is an inspiring documentary that unfurls like a thriller. Equipped with camouflage clothing, hidden cameras and deep sea divers, the crew is determined to slip past aggressive guards to capture images of the rampant dolphin slaughters, all while being chased by what might be Japanese cops, or the mafia.

Because dolphins are not protected by the ban on commercial whaling, the annual killing of the 23,000 animals is perfectly legal, however scenes in the movie show the brutal, stomach-churning massacre in the secluded lagoon – scenes that the locals are completely unaware of. Other secrets are exposed, revealing the disreputable business that supports the city’s economy and the possible “buying” of votes in the International Whaling Commission.

The exceptionally well-put-together documentary, which debuted in July 2009, earned an Oscar at the 2010 Academy Awards.

During the film, we see Psihoyos recruit his dream team in order to capture the powerful images they need in hopes to shut the operation down. With state-of-the-art equipment hidden in trees and rocks surrounding the kill zone, they capture sights and sounds of the cruelty that rouse you to shred your SeaWorld pass.

The movie features heroes of the movement, including two Japanese councilmen who were responsible for prohibiting the mercury-infected dolphin meat from the school lunch system.

Richard O’Barry, who captured and trained the five dolphins used for the family-favorite Flipper, feels responsible for the billion dollar swim-with-dolphins and show-whale industries. The fatigue is ever noticeable, showing the exhaustion of the 35 years attempting to undo what he created.

Along with the Oceanic Preservation Society, Psihoyos, O’Barry and the crew embark on this mission to expose the sinful procedures in the hidden lagoon and why it matters to everyone else in the world.

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