I feel like there wasn’t much in the way of publicity or marketing around this one, so hopefully I can do my part to spread the word, because Last Breath was a solid time at the movies. It’s a combination survival and disaster movie, showcasing a desperate rescue operation in the middle of a storm when a ship’s much-needed technological advantage stops working.

Last Breath is one of those “based on a true story” films, but the director, Alex Parkinson, knows a thing or two about the subject matter. That’s because this movie is a cinematic adaptation of the 2019 documentary of the same name, which he himself also co-directed. Both films center around a diving accident in the North Sea and the rescue effort that went into bringing one of their own back. The divers are a team sent down to the depths of 300 ft to repair pipes, something the film states is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. When a storm hits the dive site, the ship’s DPS systems go offline and send them adrift, causing the cords of one of the divers to snap, leaving him on the seabed with minimal oxygen left to survive.

Bringing this story to life is a pretty great cast doing great work. I’d say no one actor is really the lead, as this is a film that’s driven by plot, not character, but everyone gets their time to shine. Woody Harrelson is definitely the biggest actor involved as Duncan Allock, the seasoned vet who’s on the cusp of retirement. He’s joined by Simi Liu’s David, considered to be the best diver in the industry, and Finn Cole as Chris, the diver who is at the heart of this disaster. Cole spends a lot of the time under the ocean and thus, under a mask, but he’s the heart and soul of the movie as the accident revolves around him. The trio are joined by the likes of the always reliable Cliff Curtis as the ship’s Captain, with Mark Bonnar, MyAnna Buring, and Bobby Rainsbury in supporting roles.

One thing that stood out to me was the attention to detail within this movie. Everything felt surgical and precise, and there was a decent amount of suspense involved with the countdown to rescue Chris relative to the amount of oxygen left in his tank. Couple that with the storm above and the complete darkness and this movie had a surprising amount of thrills and tension. We learn a lot about the process and the setup of a dive as well, which I appreciate, such as compression and the type of air being funnelled into the bodies of the divers before going into the water. The way the film is shot and framed reminded me a lot of Deepwater Horizon, and that’s a strong compliment. Or, to put it another way, it feels like a dramatized documentary.

Being 300ft below the surface, this movie is near pitch black at times, with the only light sources coming from flashlights or flares. I appreciate how the movie opted not to make it easier for the audience by having floodlights for our benefit, as the darkness made the tension that much more palpable.

If you’re looking for a film that’s a tight ninety minutes with some great tension, respect and knowledge of the real-life event, and attention to detail of the profession, Last Breath is definitely worth watching. I am curious about the documentary now and wonder just how different the show viewing experiences will be, and if the existence of a dramatized version is even needed when there’s a well-received documentary version out there. Hopefully, I can watch a copy of that in due time.