Rating: 3.5/5
Synopsis:
“Last Breath” is an incredible survival story based on true events. It follows a team of divers who’s mission puts them hundreds of feet below the ocean surface. When a storm jeopardizes their mission, one of the divers is separated from the team with limited oxygen left in his tank. The crew must orchestrate a tense rescue mission in the middle of a horrific storm to save their diver. Can they pull off the impossible?
Positives:
With limited marketing, “Last Breath” didn’t get much coverage in the film circle. But since it released during a slow time of year, it gives audiences a chance to check it out before blockbuster season hits. The film is better than expected, combining true events within a gripping story of survival. The premise is simple, presenting a young diver with less experience than the rest of his crew. As the team ventures into the abyss to complete their mission, things go horribly wrong. It just so happens that the newest diver is the one in peril. Finn Cole plays this diver, who’s wife is concerned with the dangerous mission he is attempting. Woody Harrelson does a nice job as the veteran team leader who is on the verge of forced retirement. Simu Liu is the grumpy one who plays a large part in the rescue, who’s lack of patience for the rookie diver is tested through the mission. The cast does a nice job with the material they’re given, conveying the uneasy sense of doom as the mission gets more intense.
The film does a nice job at engulfing audiences into the intensity of the situation. The sound effects are strong, where simple footsteps at the bottom of the ocean combined with dimly lit flares amplify the grim reality of the diver’s situation. The crew’s growing sense of unease and stress is conveyed in convincing fashion. I could feel my adrenaline rushing as the rescue mission was taking place during the intense storm. The technical aspects of the filmmaking elevate what could have been a standard thriller, making this a more personal journey with high stakes. The movie is more effective than expected, so credit to the filmmakers who also worked on a documentary about the same real life story.
Negatives:
“Last Breath” is a win in my book. But the film has a few areas where it could have been stronger. The main aspect that deserved more attention was the characters. They are all developed at a surface level, where the intensity of the rescue mission takes priority over getting to know them. The emotional investment would have been higher had we known more about our rookie diver and the seasoned crew who comes to rescue him. With this limitation, the story comes up shorter than it should have. There are a few side stories going on with Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu’s characters that never get much attention either. I almost wish we hadn’t been introduced to their personal journeys because it feels like the filmmakers either forgot about them or lost interest. As the film concluded, the story felt anticlimactic and unresolved since they didn’t get much attention.
Conclusion:
I’m happy to say that “Last Breath” is a big surprise. It manages to immerse audiences into the claustrophobic nature of the ocean while increasing the tension as the film goes on. Technical elements are strong and the acting serves the story well. Unfortunately, the characters don’t get the same care as the plot does, hampering the emotional investment we have in their journey. The film is worth a watch due to the inspiring true events that take place. Make sure to breathe while watching because the intensity cranks up nicely during the rescue!
