Cave Rescue

I am gracious of the director putting the case into the movie. I know it from news, but never know the details. It is like seeing a very long news report. Since the incident is happened not for long, I am very interested to see the details.

The movie is full of negative comments. Yes, all the comments are true. But i like to point out is that timing is very important. If a very good movie is put on the screen ten years later I would lose my interest no matter what.

For the present movie I am simply urged to finish it, despite its technical drawbacks. And it is so happy to know some actors is the actual person in the incident.

In all, the movie is ok to me, and I hope more of this movie, like one on COVID 19, could be put on big screen timely.

The first half of the film didn't really connect with me. I thought it was not gripping enough to be a film, and not informative enough to be a documentary. The second half managed to turn the tide, and of course the ending got me in tears. I applaud everyone involved in the rescue. I was also impressed that so many people played themselves in the film. Wow. I would have liked to see more on how the boys stayed alive in the cave, but I guess there was not enough time to tell so much story.

Retelling one of the most extraordinary real-life rescues, Cave Rescue aims to honor bravery and hope, yet its execution never fully matches the magnitude of the actual event.

The film dramatizes the 2018 Thai cave rescue, where twelve young soccer players and their coach were trapped deep underground by rising floodwaters. With international divers, local volunteers, and Thai authorities working tirelessly, the story remains one of global unity and human perseverance. On paper, this narrative is filled with natural tension and emotional resonance.

While the film captures the factual outline of events, its presentation often feels uneven. The use of non-professional actors and a restrained production budget creates a sense of authenticity, but also results in performances that lack dramatic intensity. The pacing struggles between documentary-style realism and dramatized storytelling, preventing it from achieving either gripping suspense or emotional depth. Cinematography within the caves creates a claustrophobic atmosphere, yet the visual execution does not consistently convey the urgency inherent in the actual story.

The strength of Cave Rescue lies in its respectful tone. It avoids sensationalism and highlights the collaborative spirit of the rescue operation. However, compared to other dramatizations and documentaries covering the same event, it lacks the polish and narrative cohesion to leave a lasting impression.

Rating: 5/10 - A respectful but underwhelming dramatization that recounts an incredible true story without fully capturing its emotional or cinematic potential.

The last count is FOUR. Four movies about the same subject released close together. And this one is even worse than the Ron Howard movie. Better watch the one and only truly riveting version and that is the documentary from National Geographic called "The Rescue". All these other movies just do not do real justice to this real life drama.

Mind you, this is not a bad movie, not at all, but why watch something inferior when a much better version is readily available?

Low budget production of the Thai cave rescue, The Ron Howard movie much better but the numerous documentaries out are actually better than the movie version.