Courtesy of Focus Options
An unbelievable struggle for survival will get the cinematic therapy in Alex Parkinson’s serviceable “Final Breath”, a formulaic “based mostly on a real story” movie that was first captured in a 2019 documentary, additionally directed by Parkinson. The story on the coronary heart of this adaptation is undeniably gripping. It dramatizes the harrowing story of deep-sea diver Chris Lemons, who, in 2012, defied insurmountable odds and lived to see one other day after a routine operation goes horribly mistaken, leaving him stranded within the pitch-black depths of the ocean with out oxygen for almost half-hour. It’s a exceptional true story, but, regardless of the compelling supply materials, the movie struggles to generate the emotional weight the real-life occasion deserves. And working a slim 93 minutes, “Final Breath” feels rushed, stripping the narrative of its emotional core and leaving the viewers with little greater than a bare-bones thriller, the place the result is as inevitable as it’s underwhelming.
Finn Cole (“Dreamland”) performs Chris Lemons, and rightly so, his character is essentially the most humanized of the primary trio. Lemons is a seasoned diver, about to embark on one other routine operation within the North Sea, simply off the coast of the UK. Becoming a member of him are his longtime dive associate, Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson), and newcomer Dave Yuasa (Simu Liu), who finally takes command of the rescue operation. Within the early moments earlier than catastrophe strikes, one would count on Mitchell LaFortune, David Brooks, and Parkinson’s screenplay to determine a way of camaraderie amongst this trio—in any case, they’ll be residing and dealing collectively for the following 28 days. As an alternative, we get little greater than a surface-level introduction. Lemons is engaged to be married, and whereas this element briefly hints at his private life, it would not go a lot additional. Dave and Duncan stay comparatively underdeveloped, with Duncan being the one character with any important backstory—he’s a veteran diver being compelled to retire.
This lack of depth within the characters creates a substantial emotional distance, and when the crew is thrown into chaos by a violent storm that disrupts their operation, the stakes really feel muted. Lemons is left stranded on the ocean flooring, disconnected from his staff and spiraling into the abyss with minimal oxygen, but the emotional gravity of this dire state of affairs is basically absent. Whereas we naturally root for Dave and Duncan to rescue their colleague, their lack of chemistry, significantly between Harrelson and Liu, leaves the viewers uninvested of their plight. The movie, sadly, turns into a sequence of mechanical occasions somewhat than a tense survival thriller.
Regardless of these shortcomings, it’s no shock that the underwater images is stable contemplating Parkinson’s background on this space. Having already explored this narrative ala his 2019 documentary, he brings a way of authenticity and visible grandeur to the movie’s underwater sequences. The cinematography captures the huge, suffocating isolation of the ocean depths, which solely serves to intensify the peril of Lemons’ state of affairs. The rescue sequences are tense and urgently paced, aided by Paul Leonard-Morgan’s pulsating rating, which intensifies the suspense and helps keep engagement, even when the emotional stakes are missing.
In the end, “Final Breath” is a movie that struggles to transcend its formulaic method to storytelling. The true story it’s based mostly on is a wild story of survival, however the movie fails to completely capitalize on the emotional depth and human drama inherent in such a exceptional ordeal. Whereas the underwater cinematography and rescue sequences will preserve audiences passively intrigued, the movie’s underdeveloped characters, tepid performances, and lack of actual emotional funding go away it greedy for straws.
LAST BREATH is now taking part in in theaters.