Rating: 6/10
“Based on a true story” is the most harrowing phrase to be used in a movie.
When we go to a theater, it’s an escape from reality; leaving everything behind, we indulge in the visual image presented before us. Cinema has blurred the line between life and fiction, with many films falling towards that fictional side.
But with “Last Breath,” a new film starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole, the escape we’ve wanted has now come crumbling down: This film is based on a true story. We now have to take into account that everything we see on screen did happen.
In the case of “Last Breath,” that’s terrifying.
Directed by Alex Parkinson, the film revolves around three divers tasked with maintaining pipelines underwater. While on a regular rotation, Chris Lemons and David Yuasa — Finn Cole and Simu Liu, respectively — are caught in a malfunction due to the faults of the crew above water. Yuasa manages to escape back to the manifold where Duncan Allcock — Woody Harrelson — is situated, but Lemons is caught between wires, unable to move.
Realizing that Lemmons won’t make it back on time, Yuasa instructs him to switch his oxygen to the bailout supply, telling him he has 10 minutes until this supply runs out and he won’t have access to oxygen. Lemmons now has to decide if survival is something he should fight for, or if he should concede to the inevitability of his situation.
“Last Breath” is incredibly simple. In most films, that is a negative. Cinema is an art; it should be a complex conglomeration of images, sounds and themes put together to tell a story.
This film doesn’t do that, and it doesn’t need to.
We’ve all seen that film where there’s a straightforward plot, and out of nowhere, there’s a fantasy or dreamlike sequence that doesn’t fit into the storyline. While there are some rare cases of this type of storytelling being successful, most of the time it doesn’t work.
Parkinson does a great job of keeping this movie only about the event at hand. Telling every side of this very difficult situation effectively is imperative for keeping the plot moving. It doesn’t stall, nor does it feel rushed; it’s a simple yet functional mode of storytelling.
This simplicity is elevated by the strong acting in the film. The trio of Harrelson, Liu and Cole have great chemistry together, incredibly important for this movie where precise acting dictates the pace of the story. Cliff Curtis’s supporting performance from above water also helps tie this cast in a perfectly tied package.
However, a simple and traditional style of storytelling has some downfalls.
This movie is about an hour and a half long. Now, I will never complain about a short run time if you’re able to tell your story properly within that time frame. But, “Last Breath” doesn’t.
There was too much meat left on the bone. By the time we reach our conclusion, it feels like a blink of an eye. We barely spent any time with the characters for us to actually cling onto their beliefs and purpose.
I would’ve loved to go deeper into the situation, find some bigger motives and connect with them more. If I only wanted information, I could look up the Wikipedia page and read about it in five minutes to save myself the hour and a half I spent watching this movie.
A director should never leave an audience underwhelmed. Imagine going to a five-star restaurant, ordering hundreds of dollars of food and wanting more after the meal because you’re still hungry. Driving yourself to McDonald’s shouldn’t be an option, but it unfortunately is after watching this film.
Nonetheless, this is a very entertaining and important story.
I was gripped from the beginning. As someone who can’t swim, this is my worst nightmare, and I was physically holding my breath through many parts. Its message of perseverance and will to survive is also prominent, allowing audiences to empathize with the difficult situation. It just could’ve used half an hour more to flesh out its story.
Joshua Abraham is a kinesiology junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.
