Last Breath

Upon entering the cinema today, I wasn't expecting anything. I just thought, this might be a fun little film to pass the week, till some more big ones release later this month. But after leaving the room, I was utterly flabbergasted. This film was gut-wretchingly tense and kept me on edge throughout the whole screening. These 1h33 felt like 30 minutes at most. Incredible True Story Thriller that won't let go of me for some time probably. Huge respect to all the people, who do this stuff regularly, and I really hope, they get a fortune for each dive, because it wouldn't be worth it if the don't.

What is supposed to be a routine repair in the North Sea off the shore of Scotland turns into a race against time and a life-or-death situation for a trio of deep-sea divers.

This movie is based on a miraculous true story. The story is one of resilience, teamwork, and bravery. It is told in a way that gives the viewer an idea of the profession and the part everyone plays. The visuals are outstanding, showing the awe-inspiring depth of the ocean and the risk deep-sea divers take regularly. With a runtime of one hour and thirty-three minutes, this movie will have the viewer on the edge of their seat, holding their breath from the beginning to the end. This movie is worth a trip to the theater to appreciate this incredible story.

Back in 2019, director Alex Parkinson made a documentary about a deep-sea accident that happened in 2012, called LAST BREATH. He now has directed a feature film remake of that same accident, using the same name. It features "one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth", saturation divers who maintain undersea gas lines in the North Sea. The story revolves around a diving team as they begin a routine task: the salty Duncan (Woody Harrelson), the cold but focused David (Simu Liu), and the learning sponge Chris (Finn Cole). After an accident, one of them is left stranded with minutes of air left. It now comes down to a rescue or a recovery mission. I appreciated how the movie goes through the detailed process of the job. I also appreciated how Parkinson wasn't tempted to add things to make it a more entertaining movie, it would've felt inauthentic if he threw a random shark in the mix (unless it actually happened). I loved how realistic the lighting was on the seabed. It was dark AF, making you feel properly anxious and claustrophobic. The best parts of this movie are the moments of extreme tension. As the diver is losing air, you realize you also stopped breathing. LAST BREATH is a well-executed thriller that feels like a very "dad movie", if that makes sense. It has great acting and somewhat corny writing, but a had a great time. Remember, don't forget to breathe. It's a privilege.

A couple of divers go into the North Sea to carry out essential maintenance on the pipelines, they hit a snag and one of the team, Chris Lemons, breaks away, getting lost in the depths, a desperate mission to bring him back begins.

I'll start by saying, I did enjoy it, and after some of the atrocious films I've seen on the big screen recently, it did at least hold my attention. For me it looks and feels like a made for TV movie, the appeal was seeing Woody Harrelson.

In this day and age, with energy bills sky high, people are a lot more aware of underwater structures, such as pipes and energy lines, so it definitely has a relevance.

I have a massive phobia about open water, plus an appreciation for how much claustrophobia can really affect some people, this film has elements of both. It does pack in some tension and at times it leaves you feeling quite literally breathless.

I didn't feel particularly engaged with the characters on an emotional level, but that's the story I guess, they chose not to give them lengthy introductions.

Some of the camera work was good, best of all, the lighting, they got it spot on, it's suitably dark and gloomy, they never went overboard with the lights, smart choice.

It's worth taking another look at the documentary, it's still an incredible story of survival, it's a tremendous watch.

The acting was a mixed bag, I thought Mark Bonnar came across well, Harrelson was ok, I found Simu Liu a little wooden, I know he was playing the aloof, serious guy, but he just felt blank.

Overall it's a solid movie, I just feel that they didn't make the most out of a truly compelling and powerful story. I fear it'll be forgotten fairly quickly.

6/10.

What an amazing true story! I was blown away by the facts of what happened. Everything about it was absolutely terrifying, and the fact that almost nothing came from this afterwords is nothing short of a miracle. I never knew something like this was even possible until I looked up the possibility. The movie itself was done well, with a good amount of laughs and emotions being captured for what it is. Easy to connect and it brought you into a vision of what it was like. I would like to read more into the story and what facts they didnt include into the movie. Overall great movie and I suggest watching.

Watched at AMC on 3-4-2025.