I still think the Rescue documentary is a more worthwhile watch, but this is beautifully performed nonetheless.
What it's about
Directed by Ron Howard (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind), Thirteen Lives follows the scary events of the Tham Luang Cave rescue.
The take
Thirteen Lives is a taut, no-nonsense film that smartly forgoes dramatizing an already well-known case and, instead, hones in on the excruciating but impressive ordeal that is rescue diving. The divers are played by Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell, both of whom are convincing in their expertise and heroism. But this isn’t to say this story is theirs. Howard does well to center the narrative on the locals and even makes use of their language, Thai, for most of the film’s run. It’s as sensitively told as it is genuinely gripping.
What stands out
The firm direction, as expected from Howard.
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