It may be an odd thing to say, but could thirteen be director Ron Howard‘s lucky number? I think after Apollo 13 and Thirteen Lives, it just might be. Both are affecting, true-life stories. And both films are rousing viewing experiences. Instead of a damaged lunar module in space with trapped astronauts, we’re at a flooded cave system with a trapped boys’ soccer team. We know how each story ends, but they’re both still pleasing to watch.
Let’s be honest: a happy ending that actually happened in real life is something we can all enjoy. Especially right now. This film provides that and more. Thirteen Lives hits an effective tone for its dramatic story, with good cinematography and performances too.
“I thought they would blame me.”
You probably remember the 2018 events this film is based on, when 12 boys on a soccer team in Thailand got trapped with their coach deep in a cave. The Tham Luang caves are massive, and they flooded quickly, leaving the group with no way out.
Local government officials organize a rescue effort. Area experts and residents help with diverting the mountain streams to lower the water levels in the caves. Then, skilled underwater cave divers from all over the world are called in to assist the Thai Navy Seals. Men like Rick Stanton, played by Viggo Mortensen, and John Volanthen, played by Colin Farrell.
The details of this rescue are truly astounding. It’s amazing to think they happened in real life. The constraints of time and other conditions meant that the boys had to be put under anesthesia and taken out by the divers. This sort of thing had never been attempted before, and the risks were high. However, without any other choice, the Thai government gave authorization for the plan.
As we all know, it worked. The dramatic tension of this situation is handled well in the script. Howard and his team set the tone of a procedural, without excess flash or theatricality. There is no cloying sentiment, but there is genuine heart.
“It’s about trust.”
Even though the divers who bring the kids out are all white men, I feel like this film manages to avoid the white savior trope to a large degree. The Thai characters are the ones to make decisions about the rescue operation. Outside of some of the diving itself, the Thai characters are the ones doing things to help the trapped boys and coach.
The screenplay isn’t perfect — I would have preferred a bit more time with the boys in the cave. But the rest of the scenes feel to me like they center Thai characters more than the white divers. Before they get trapped, we get a glimpse of the boys teasing each other the way friends do, and the mother of one of the boys, played by Pattrakorn Tungsupakul, makes scenes of worried waiting more engaging.
The cinematography is something I want to highlight here. Both the locations and underwater sequences are excellent, thanks to director of photography Sayombhu Mukdeeprom. The actors turn in subtle work, as well. Their performances fit in perfectly with the cohesive whole Howard is creating. Check out Joel Edgerton‘s character’s interaction with the kids, for example.
When the moment comes that the last person is carried out of the cave, you can’t help but cheer even though you knew it was coming. The dramatization of this event succeeds well enough to pair with the excellent documentary about it from last year called The Rescue. Thirteen Lives is subtle but still emotional, well-crafted, and uplifting.
4 stars out of 5
Thirteen Lives is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
It was a great film.
It honored the boys and the adults involved in the rescue.