The true story of seasoned deep-sea divers who battle the raging elements to rescue a crewmate who's trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.
Director: Alex Parkinson
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, Cliff Curtis
Release Date: February 28, 2025
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
Runtime: 1h 33m
Review:
Last Breath is a sleek, efficient thriller that sets you firmly in the moment of this dramatic retelling of a real-life deep-sea rescue. Alex Parkinson, who directed the documentary of the same, takes the reins for this cinematic recreation and displays an impressive eye for realism. Parkinson delivers some impressive underwater sequences that make you feel the enormity of the ocean and dire nature of the situation which echoes other survival thrillers like 2013’s Gravity and 1995’s Apollo 13. He moves his film at such a brisk space that we’re given only the smallest bit of characterization for each of the principles. Parkinson’s laser focus on the rescue and extenuating circumstances are admirable but you are left wishing he'd spent a bit more time fleshing out each character to create a stronger emotional connection. Luckily, he’s blessed with a strong collection of actors who squeeze every bit of emotional resonance from their scenes. Woody Harrelson is perfectly suited portraying the grizzled veteran/mentor for the group. His natural, everyman persona fits perfectly here even though the script doesn’t give him a ton to work with. He has believable chemistry with Finn Cole who plays the youngest member of the trio. Cole brings a wide-eyed innocence to his character that informs his eagerness to do well on the job. Simu Liu is solid but understated for most of the film as he struggles to make his underwritten character more three dimensional than its written. All three deliver workmanlike performances that keeps the film engaging despite its incredibly thin script. If anything, the cinematic version of Last Breath is strong enough to make you search out the Netflix’s documentary about the real event.
B-
