A rescue mission is assembled in Thailand where a group of young boys and their soccer coach are trapped in a system of underground caves that are flooding.
Review
Director Ron Howard creates the theatrical version of the true story that gripped the world. I already knew much of the story after watching the exceptional documentary, but this is a worthy fictionalised account of the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.
From the initial setup, we get connected to the team that gets trapped but they only feature very minimally throughout. It was interesting to see the Thai government and Navy SEALs interact and how people from around the world bring their expertise to help.
There were moments throughout which were gripping, even though I knew exactly what was going to happen. It was claustrophobic in places, especially during the final rescue with their "packages" being sedated.
The cast of Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton is impressive, but their performances fall into the background, covered in diving equipment and overshadowed by the awe-inspiring story.
I initially thought the story could be turned into a successful movie by any decent director, but it is clear the traumatic experience was handled beautifully, with moments of emotion punctuated throughout the harrowing ordeal. The tight and treacherous situations were directed with clarity.
