User reviews

Back in 2019, director Alex Parkinson made a documentary about a deep-sea accident that happened in 2012, called LAST BREATH. He now has directed a feature film remake of that same accident, using the same name. It features "one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth", saturation divers who maintain undersea gas lines in the North Sea. The story revolves around a diving team as they begin a routine task: the salty Duncan (Woody Harrelson), the cold but focused David (Simu Liu), and the learning sponge Chris (Finn Cole). After an accident, one of them is left stranded with minutes of air left. It now comes down to a rescue or a recovery mission. I appreciated how the movie goes through the detailed process of the job. I also appreciated how Parkinson wasn't tempted to add things to make it a more entertaining movie, it would've felt inauthentic if he threw a random shark in the mix (unless it actually happened). I loved how realistic the lighting was on the seabed. It was dark AF, making you feel properly anxious and claustrophobic. The best parts of this movie are the moments of extreme tension. As the diver is losing air, you realize you also stopped breathing. LAST BREATH is a well-executed thriller that feels like a very "dad movie", if that makes sense. It has great acting and somewhat corny writing, but a had a great time. Remember, don't forget to breathe. It's a privilege.

A couple of divers go into the North Sea to carry out essential maintenance on the pipelines, they hit a snag and one of the team, Chris Lemons, breaks away, getting lost in the depths, a desperate mission to bring him back begins.

I'll start by saying, I did enjoy it, and after some of the atrocious films I've seen on the big screen recently, it did at least hold my attention. For me it looks and feels like a made for TV movie, the appeal was seeing Woody Harrelson.

In this day and age, with energy bills sky high, people are a lot more aware of underwater structures, such as pipes and energy lines, so it definitely has a relevance.

I have a massive phobia about open water, plus an appreciation for how much claustrophobia can really affect some people, this film has elements of both. It does pack in some tension and at times it leaves you feeling quite literally breathless.

I didn't feel particularly engaged with the characters on an emotional level, but that's the story I guess, they chose not to give them lengthy introductions.

Some of the camera work was good, best of all, the lighting, they got it spot on, it's suitably dark and gloomy, they never went overboard with the lights, smart choice.

It's worth taking another look at the documentary, it's still an incredible story of survival, it's a tremendous watch.

The acting was a mixed bag, I thought Mark Bonnar came across well, Harrelson was ok, I found Simu Liu a little wooden, I know he was playing the aloof, serious guy, but he just felt blank.

Overall it's a solid movie, I just feel that they didn't make the most out of a truly compelling and powerful story. I fear it'll be forgotten fairly quickly.

6/10.

What is supposed to be a routine repair in the North Sea off the shore of Scotland turns into a race against time and a life-or-death situation for a trio of deep-sea divers.

This movie is based on a miraculous true story. The story is one of resilience, teamwork, and bravery. It is told in a way that gives the viewer an idea of the profession and the part everyone plays. The visuals are outstanding, showing the awe-inspiring depth of the ocean and the risk deep-sea divers take regularly. With a runtime of one hour and thirty-three minutes, this movie will have the viewer on the edge of their seat, holding their breath from the beginning to the end. This movie is worth a trip to the theater to appreciate this incredible story.

This film was fine but just could have been much more compelling.

Obviously the true story being told is incredible and very tense. But the way the film tells the story is just lacking.

The pacing is really odd and the script and acting feels like it's a B movie. The actors are wooden and they seem to have as much urgency and haste as a slug.

The cgi of the ship in the storm is good, and there are some good underwater shots.

It was also interesting to learn that they used some real footage of the real Chris as he was stranded.

I felt the addition of the fiancee just felt clichéd and shoehorned in to try and add more drama.

It's a watchable film but could have been better.

While I keep hearing that the 2019 documentary (co-directed by Alex Parkinson, who also directs this) tackled the story a lot better, I like to think what works for and against the film is its 90-minute runtime. A story of this kind needs greater character establishment scenes and dialogue to make us really care for the lead(s) in underwater peril. That unfortunately isn't the case here as we dive into the core incident almost straight away, with time ticking fast. On the flip side, it maintains the thrill quotient all through by keeping things eventful and busy. The central performances (Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis) are quite solid, plus the production design and visual effects are neatly done. The real-life footage at the end indicates the camaraderie between the men, which also made me want to see more of the documentary. It also made me think about the dangerous jobs that humans often sign up for.

I watched it. I was shocked by it. Seeing all the technology and things they do just to get to the bottom of the sea. It seems as complicated as going to the moon. It's really impressive and hard working. For me, I would have just not have bothered. Lol. Technology would be behind with me on charge. It seems so intense and scary to do that kind of work. Especially in dangerous seas. The scenes were intense and driven with hopes and fears. It's really something to see people work together and depend on each other. I think the only thing this movie is lacking is it felt too short, like it needed something else. But, my criticism lacks creativity since I don't know what could be added to it.

Last Breath was Regal's latest mystery movie and boy, was it an intense viewing experience! I found myself taking deep breaths throughout as the tension mounted - as if to assure myself that I could still breathe (maybe it's an asthma thing). This movie tells the true story depicted in 2019's documentary of the same name. Things go wrong on a deep sea diving repair mission and a diver gets trapped on the bottom of the ocean as the rest of the people on the ship above (and in the bell beneath the surface) battle the elements and the clock in their efforts to rescue him. Woody Harrelson turns in a solid performance in here, as do his costars Simu Liu and Finn Cole. The movie is efficiently paced with zero fat on it at all (yet managing to feel so much longer than it really is, because of the stakes involved for the characters). Cinematography and score are impressive as well. Recommended. Video review on my Cyn's Corner YouTube channel.

First 1/2 of the movie was tense and tragic everything believable. Once the sad reality occurred all the oxygen got sucked out of the room. The movie just seemed to stall. I've never seen a crisis moment just feel so fake. No one was breaking a sweat, no one was collaborating, no one was reviewing the emergency ops. There were 3 more teams of divers who could have been shown to come up with a solution but they just sat there sulking. I'm sure during the real event the real folks were desperately trying to save their mate. This movie made a mockery of their accomplishment.

The acting was not bad but direction of the film sank to the bottom of the ocean. They don't even properly explain why they had to go down the manifold. They have to send men into the most dangerous jobsite to turn a nut with a wrench? If this manifold require any kind of adjustment wouldn't the engineers have taken that into account and allowed for remote adjustment? Seemed like the RAV could have done everything that was required of the divers and done so without risking their lives.

What an amazing true story! I was blown away by the facts of what happened. Everything about it was absolutely terrifying, and the fact that almost nothing came from this afterwords is nothing short of a miracle. I never knew something like this was even possible until I looked up the possibility. The movie itself was done well, with a good amount of laughs and emotions being captured for what it is. Easy to connect and it brought you into a vision of what it was like. I would like to read more into the story and what facts they didnt include into the movie. Overall great movie and I suggest watching.

Watched at AMC on 3-4-2025.

Not entirely sure why this movie was made. I mean, the documentary is pretty much detail by detail explaining the situation. If you're going to make a blockbuster film, then shouldn't it have some action? Some drama? Etc...? This literally is more or less the documentary only acted out with big name stars. Why? Just why?

I honestly couldn't care about the characters in the film as they did nothing to build up their backgrounds. In the documentary, at least you know you're watching a real event with some real footage. But this is suppose to be a movie, it should have the elements of what makes it a movie.

Basically it is a boring remake of the documentary with big stars.

3/10.

I liked Last Breath. These everyman blue-collar hero stories have a habit of breeding cringeworthy dialogue delivery and acting performances. For the most part this film strays away from that. The cast is talented. Everyone has been a great supporting actor in another movie. Everyone delivered an effective and convincing role.

There are two great things to take away from this film. First, it does a fantastic job of explaining a line of work and industry I knew little to nothing about. Second, the director and editor have this film at the perfect length. Any longer and I think this would have felt dragged out. Character development was satisfactory, I really did care about most of the people by the end of the film. The pacing genuinely left me in suspense at parts of the film.

It's also worth stating that the casting deserves a 10/10 because Woody Harrelson actually looks like the twin brother of the guy he is playing. Crazy coincidence. I wonder if that's why he chose to play him?

LIKES: Great Cinematography Acting That Works An Inspiring Story Good Visual Effects Fantastic Sound Editing Integration Into the Process Believable With Just Enough Sheen Some Of The Scenes Come Together Perfectly Summary: For me, Last Breath is a very visceral movie in terms of the investment in the visual and sound effects to bring this tale to life. The film immerses you into the entire process of diving for maintenance, giving us detailed looks at the preparation of these brave patrons to venture into the depths of the sea. A stunning visual direction gives so much gravity to the scenes below, the encroaching darkness of the silent seabed a terror rivaling any beast that may lurk in its depths. Such direction pans through much of the movie, keeping everything in frame, combining elements that bring the surface and the depths together as they try to accomplish the impossible. Alongside the visuals is an equally impressive sound effect collection; the movie theaters unleash all the power of the ocean into surround sound goodness that further brings the experience to life. Crashing waves, blunt thumps, thunderous booms, and the strain of the ship are just some of the things you will get in this film as they roll through the theater quite loudly. It makes all the scenes worth the investment, each member and step to this rescue operation immensely detailed to help incorporate one into the movie to degrees I did not expect while keeping the reality present. Last Breath does have those Hollywood touches to make things exciting, pretty, or have that extra jeje; I never felt it strayed too far from being believable, which gets additional points in my book. This balance is a nice medium ground to make the film entertaining, but not to the point of corny, with some of the scenes coming together in that perfect amount to stimulate goosebumps or a tear in your eye like two audience members in my showing.

Regarding the acting and story, Last Breath exceeded my expectations from the trailers. It is a nice film that is there to inspire and amaze. While not the most original story, this film shows heroic efforts of teamwork, communication, and intelligence to handle an emergency, with fantastic speeches to further lift our character to the status of hero. What this team did is quite incredible, if not a tad heavy-handed, but it is certainly the pick-me-up movie to help shine light in what feels like a metaphorical darkness much of this movie takes place in. As for the acting, the cast director assembled a winning team for this film, with many of the leads perfect for the stalwart and unsure trailblazers. Cole is charming and vulnerable as he handles his new team and gives us the motivation to want to do this impossible feat. Liu still keeps to his reserved status: the warrior who doesn't punch so much as plan the job and see it to the end. It works in this case, a nice chemistry and changing dynamic that reminded me of his role in Arthur the King. Woody Harrelson is also surprisingly better than I thought, managing to break out of his usual Woody Harrelson antics enough to be different. A mentor like Haymitch, but not tied to the drink, this character had more moxie and heroism than the bitter drunkard. Though it is not the deepest, the chemistry among these actors was good, forming a unit that felt very geared towards an unorthodox brotherhood that is very in tune with the theme of the movie.

DISLIKES: Not The Most Thrilling For Me Felt A Little Rushed Not As Much Character Integration The Ending Seems Extra Overall, Okay Summary: Where the movie is a visual spectacle, the same can't be said for the full execution of this story. For one thing, the thrills of this movie are limited, either by desensitization or by understanding how the story is going to end. There is a timer that tries to set the mood with the visual tactics, but it soon crosses into a territory where something big has to happen to continue this journey. I did not feel the usual edge of survival or the engaging struggles that left me on the edge of my seat. Though you get a whole team experience in this process, the character integration is still not optimized. Many characters have their moments, but most of their names I don't remember because of how little they were ingrained into the story. As the movie continues on, there are those moments that feel immensely connected, but the ending becomes a bit of a boring mess as the epilogue shows the aftermath. Is it cool and heartwarming to see the real-life counterparts in their montage of life stories? Yes, it was. The part preceding that element was the part that I felt off about, a sort of pointless, simplified examination of some of the shared fears and hesitations that did little but extend the film. It's not horrible, but there had to be a better way, given all the things mentioned in the likes. When you factor these things together, the movie just feels sort of an okay film, the story more special than the film representing it.

The VERDICT: Last Breath is a movie that holds a lot of spirit and hope, something we need in the times we currently face. Its strengths are the visual prowess of the movie and the sound effects that accompany it to give you one of the closest dives to handling the dangers of the sea. Somehow, they found a way to make Hollywood magic and real life play nicely together, a film that feels accurate but not so entrenched in details to be a documentary or bland visual book. The acting is engaging and fun, the characters feel as realistic as the story, and they portray qualities I like to see in roles like these to stand against the often one-dimensional notes modern cinema chooses to follow. Despite these qualities, the movie is just not unique enough, outside one or two elements of the story. The thrills are minimal for me, knowing the things I know, and solutions came rather quickly and realistically to throw out some of the entertainment values. Alongside an ending that felt odd (much like my other recent review), the film just doesn't have as much shine as the trailers had me hoping for. Is this a movie? For the primary audience of drama/thriller to match films like The Perfect Storm and The Guardian, you should see this in theaters for the special effects prowess. Others will most likely enjoy this film the most at home, though, and that's where I recommend this film be seen. My scores for Last Breath are: Drama/Thriller: 7.0-7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.

I was breathing less than the guy down there while whatching the documentary but yawning while whatching the movie.

Its the same as the documentary but standerdized.

Entertaining but the dialogue does not feel natural. All the silly jokes and dramatic remarks take the seriousness of the situation.

They fill some parts with some touchy mambo jambo along with some generic violine song.

If you whatched the documentary, this is a 4/10.

Please whatch the documentary. Is very good, very authentic, it feels like you are in the room with them inevitably feeling what they are feeling in the moment.

But here I give 6/10 for people that haven't whatched.

7.1 stars.

We could say that it was a miracle, but I also believe that what they implied near the end of the film is probably correct. When divers are exposed to increased pressurization, the oxygen in the blood is also absorbed more readily, and perhaps more abundantly available. I think the scientists know this, but for some reason they are unwilling to confirm it with us. Similar to when people heal faster from brain injuries and other trauma in hyperbaric chambers. The increased pressure allows oxygen to travel to the cells. Coupled with the cold water, I imagine this explains it. Either way, it's an interesting movie, although some of the characters are frustrating and seemingly dim witted, even though they probably aren't actually, but it's deliberate and I became a bit annoyed at those parts.

I suppose I'd watch this again someday, but not anytime soon.

Really great actors doing a great job with this amazing story. The cinematography of the underwater footage was amazing. This movie was really well done, and one of the better movies I've seen lately! The cast was perfection! I loved the combination of large action type scenes and then these beautifully scored and almost poetic scenes. The music would sometimes be overpowering in a scene to then cut to a scene with no sound. Those changes in balance just help to remind you of the aloneness these men must have felt. This was a really great movie, and encourage everyone to go and see it! Great job cast and crew!

Chris (Finn Cole) is a young deep sea diver who is about to get married to Morag (Bobby Rainsbury) but who has one month-long job working maintaining pipelines at the bottom of the North Sea to complete, first. The team is led by his friend, the experienced Duncan (Woody Harrelson) and they are to be joined on the trip by the slightly aloof Dave (Simu Liu) who is wary of the skills of the young man. Anyway, off they set into the teeth of a storm and with 20-foot waves pounding their ship the latter two descend to the bottom and that's when it all goes a bit off-piste. On the surface, the ship loses stabilising power and that leaves the divers stranded, then Chris gets his ropes entangled and it soon becomes quite a desperate rescue mission with time very much against them. It's based on true events that in themselves are quite intriguing, and there is some really quite menacing underwater photography (including some real bodysuit imagery) used here, but sadly the acting is all pretty ropey across the board and the writing doesn't really do much to help out the underused but still over-acting Harrelson. It's a tautly directed story at times, but somehow it just never really characterises these men engagingly enough nor quite capture just how dangerous their jobs of fixing our crucial energy infrastructure actually are. Perhaps that's because so much of the activity is either 300 feet under the sea and pitch black, or because the men are in industrial diving suits, - or maybe even both, but in the end the film managed to sterilise much of the sense of jeopardy that the real tale provided and leaves us with a something just a bit lacking.

Deep beneath a stormy North Sea, three divers (Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole) set out to do some routine maintenance. Stormy weather on the surface and a computer glitch aboard the support vessel lead to one of the three being stranded without air. Heroic efforts are made to rescue him.

It ought to be exciting, it ought to be intensely moving - especially as it's based on a true story. But it isn't.

It seems to follow the tried-and-tested formula: crisis, resolution, crisis, resolution, happy ending - but somehow comes up short. The "work-around" on the ship makes the viewer go "meh" and the scenes on the bridge just seem wooden.

Things are a little better down below, but even here scenes shot in a confined space somehow manage not to be claustrophobic.

There's also the sense that too little material has been stretched out to achieve a realistic running time.

It's not actually bad, but it does make the viewer appreciate films like Apollo 13 and Thirteen Lives that much more.

When it comes to shocking true stories that need to be told this film is in my top ten off one watch. I was instantly glued to the screen as I learned what the stakes were for saturation divers. This is a must watch movie for anyone who is drawn to the sea life and the careers of mariners and divers as they face unpredictable uncertainty in order to provide the things we need daily. It had some really.intense moments and they are harrowing but the will to survive despite incredible odds and the unity of teamwork to ensure that everyone who goes out comes back is nothing short of inspiring and beautiful.

Alex Parkinson is taking a second swing at the same story. After delivering a below-average documentary adaptation, he's spun the same narrative into a feature-length film, now back in theaters.

Yes, it's better than the documentary. The presence of popular actors like Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu, known for saying "yes" to seemingly every project that comes their way, certainly contributes to that.

From a technical standpoint, the film earns points for its above-average underwater cinematography, but it completely flunks the sound design. I couldn't make heads or tails of what they were trying to achieve by cranking up the volume on all channels. And when you layer a The Dark Knight-esque score on top of all that noise, the result is a chaotic mess of a soundscape.

It's the perfect movie to munch popcorn to, but therein lies the problem. This is a drama based on real events, events that left lasting scars on the lives of those involved. Adapting it with Marvel actors and the feel of a Marvel movie drama is the film's cardinal sin.

20,000 miles of pipeline sprawl across the bottom of the world's oceans. They are maintained by saturation divers working at depths of up to 1,000 feet. It is one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth.

Based on fact, the film follows saturation divers Chris (Finn Cole), Dave (Simu Liu) and Duncan (Woody Harrelson) who are sent to replace a section of a pipeline in the North Sea, at a depth of 300 feet. They are lowered into the ocean in a diving bell from a ship, but when the ship malfunctions, it drifts away. Chris' umbilical cord snaps, while Dave - still attached to the diving bell - is being dragged away.

Now, it becomes a race against time to save Chris before he runs out of air. 'Last Breath' is perfect in the sense that it is never too dramatic or too sentimental, and they even crack a joke every now and then to lighten the mood a bit. What I also enjoyed about the movie, is the fact there's not a single unlikeable or cliched character.

I must be honest, I never expected the film to be so emotional. Wow, that caught me off guard, actually. Beautifully shot with a stunning musical score, and fantastic performances, 'Last Breath' is already one of my favourite movies of the year. This was very good.

Felt like this 90 minute movie could have been done in 60 minutes. Absolutely no depth to any of the characters. The movie relies on being constantly tense, but eventually that fades away because the movie is overly simple and no one actually cares about the characters. This movie would have been much better packaged into a one-off TV episode. Music was overbearingly loud and almost obnoxious. Like it felt like a bunch of tense music without anything actually happening to back it up. I would rate this a don't watch / 10. I managed to watch it without leaving but definitely would just skip this otherwise. Was kind of hard to watch the whole thing.

Last Breath is a drama thriller directed, partly written and produced by Alex Parkinson. Before that, he also partly directed the 2019 documentary of the same name. Both are based on the same true story.

Chris Lemons (Finn Cole) works as a deep-sea diver, who tries to repair a cable on the bottom of the North Sea during a storm. During an accident, he loses his connection to oxygen, light and communication with his team members. He has to survive in this situation alone until his team can find him and hopefully save him in the unlit, cold sea.

With this film, Alex Parkinson tries to change his Netflix documentary more into a true survival story. For example, he introduces some more elements and character background stories in the beginning of this film version of the story. For example, in addition to Chris Lemons' rescue mission, the film sometimes also deals with other elements, which can cause the focus to be lost. If you know the documentary, you can know the end results. This film only shows it from a different angle and in a more filmed way. Still, it manages to remain interesting and exciting.

The actors who play the characters get a bit more background, so that you as a viewer can care a bit more about them. Only, compared to the documentary, where the characters play themselves, they are a bit different.

Alex Parkinson delves into the underwater world from documentaries, drawing on a wealth of experience in this field of feats, handling tension and drama with all the energy to deliver a well-crafted film based on real events.

This version has many exciting moments.

The director's film adaptation succeeds in being a pleasing film to appreciate and enjoy. While not groundbreaking, it is well-told and well-acted, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the tension of the drama behind it, the story it tells us, and the director handles this with the experience of telling real stories throughout his career. He is surrounded by an inspired and accomplished cast that provides the necessary doses of credibility to a film that underlines that we are dealing with a miracle.

A well-executed direction.

Alex Parkinson knows how to position the camera in small spaces, but he also does so in large spaces like the ocean, truly capturing the tension, fear, and despair in every setting the film presents. An efficient direction for a director with experience, and he makes it evident. Well-executed visual effects, perfect design work, and a soundtrack that further accentuates the tension on screen, allowing us to thoroughly enjoy a well-executed film that delivers what it promises without giving away anything more or less.

Conclusion.

A well-executed underwater thriller that delivers what it promises with well-executed direction, a strong cast, and a compelling story. It never exaggerates what it shows, always sticking to the gruesome reality it deals with and the true heroes hidden within the story. A decent family pastime.