Directed By Alex Parkinson

Starring – Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole

The Plot – A heart-pounding film that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface. Based on a true story, LAST BREATH is an electrifying story about teamwork, resilience, and a race against time to do the impossible.

Rated PG-13 for brief strong adult language

Last Breath – Official Trailer [HD] – Only in Theaters February 28

POSITIVES

In crafting a tensely isolated thriller, this is a real chance for Parkinson and production to flesh out how dark and deep the ocean bed truly is, and between immersive cinematography conveying its own brand of artistic versatility and boldly blanketing sound schemes, “Last Breath” succeeds with flying colors. This is a film that demands to be seen in theaters, particularly in the pressure-filled heft and surreal quiet of being trapped a thousand feet below an accommodating crew ship for the story’s protagonist, and while the film’s visuals tap in seamlessly to the authenticity factors of the dwindling light and overwhelming darkness, our clarity and coherence are never sacrificed as a result, with truly unique ways of framing and capturing the dramatic devastation that lingers so effectively throughout the engagement. If this isn’t enough, the production’s decision to use surveillance framing throughout the three ships on this mission is quite an advantageous way of simultaneously conveying insight between these crews, especially considering a majority of the time we’re alongside the trio of Harrelson, Liu and Cole’s characters, which might inadvertently underscore the magnitude of this mission if not for the constant reminders of the team’s bridge captain continuously checking in with his B and C teams, in order to keep them briefed on the ever-changing situation. The blanketing sound design articulating such a haunting reminder to the claustrophobia that plague these crews is also complimented endlessly by Paul Leonard-Morgan’s riveting orchestral compositions, driving the urgency and anxiety factors of the rescue mission, without even a shred of repetition in the evolution of his instrumentals. While the year is very young at only 55 days in, this is currently my score to beat for the rest of 2025, and while it could easily be overlooked within the confines of a story quite literally swimming in vulnerability for its characters, I suggest you take some time to embrace and appreciate the exclamation point that they inscribe to these scenes, particularly when the race against the clock feels as urgent as ever. Speaking of story, there’s plenty to praise about this script, but ideally it’s the way it conveys information in the exposition to the audience, but never in ways that feel heavy-handed or obvious in talking directly to us. Because of such, I not only learned an ample amount about what is declared early on in the film one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth, but also was able to follow along with the tidbits of information and situational rendering within what can only be described as crew jargon, giving me unlimited insight into aspects about the job that I wouldn’t of otherwise understood without the script taking time to flesh out the terrifying realities of what’s taking shape. The script also flirts kind of nonchalantly with repeated cliches from other movies that would spoil character resolutions, but without ever committing them. This could be a way of bracing the audience for impending doom, particularly with the future of Harrelson’s character being outlined during the film’s opening moments, but I found this and many other deviations charming at always keeping me guessing in a film that could easily be predictable if I knew the real life events that this film is depicting, proving that you’re never too old in this business to be surprised by deviation that feels there in order to see if the audience is paying attention. The performances also offer plenty to appreciate about these characters, with Harrelson and Liu each giving so much merit and personality to their respective portrayals. Woody Harrelson is such a great comedic actor that we sometimes forget that he is legitimate when it comes to conveying emotions, and while the script certainly gives him plenty of time to exude that warmth of charming charisma, Harrelson’s best moments come when the stakes are at their highest, where he conveys gripping anxieties and unwelcoming realizations that break his resilient spirit. As for Simu Liu, he’s had quite an unpredictable career to this point, but his stoicism and imposing stature here truly allowed me to see him in newfound ways, while cementing such a captivating presence to the proceedings, each time he’s on-screen. When the movie begins, it’s easily Harrelson’s for the taking, but as we get deeper into defining moments for these characters, I found myself drawn to the confidence and capabilities of Liu, and while his biggest break came with Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”, I truly think it’s heartfelt deposits in roles like these that will make him a box office draw for decades to come. Lastly, there are divisive results to the film’s 86-minute runtime, but the beneficial side of it is maintaining the urgency of the mission, especially alongside on-screen text that constantly conveys how long this crew member has been without oxygen. For my money, the film practically flew by with its pacing, perhaps as a means of being gripped to this conflict, but even as brief as the movie comes and goes, there’s a need to always want more out of it, and that’s a sign of any movie doing its job exceptionally.

NEGATIVES

As for the unfortunate side of that aforementioned runtime, I definitely could’ve used more development for some of the movie’s supporting characters, even if the sole purpose of their inclusion is to react to what’s transpiring on the bridge. This won’t be an issue for everybody, as these character’s importance are kind of defined very early on, but considering the visuals constantly drift back to them, between the radio interactions between Harrelson and his bridge captain, I wish it would’ve took some time to flesh out their side of the proceedings, which in turn would’ve given the audience a deeper sense of connection with this expansive crew that does feel like a family between establishing memories and post-movie credits of the real-life people that the movie is based on. For my money, the film definitely could’ve spent more time on this and other build-up during the first act, as that’s the only time in the exploration where the movie feels even remotely rushed, and I for one could’ve used more time with Cole’s protagonist, as well as the surrounding members, before the proverbial shit hit the fan. This makes me want to seek out the documentary of the same name, especially considering it feels like the scope of that far exceeds the nagging limitations of this execution. My only other issue with the film pertained to some focus issues during the second act, where the script deviates away from Harrelson and Liu for a bit longer than I would’ve preferred. Part of the logic behind this decision pertains to the bridge captain taking action to restore electricity to their ship, however the distancing happens for a bit longer than I would’ve appreciated, and between the opportunity to revel more in the dynamic development of Harrelson and Liu’s characters, and chances to drive the urgency factors of characters literally with nothing to do to save their crew member, especially with so much uncertainty in their own situations, it doesn’t exactly strike while the iron is hot, leaving me waiting patiently to get back to my favorite characters, during an already brief engagement.

OVERALL
“Last Breath” submerges itself with high-stakes tension and unrelenting urgency that brings to life the harrowing and heroic rescue mission of a deep-sea crew that refused to leave one of their own behind. The film’s appeal is enhanced not only by breathtaking production values, which descend us into the deepest and darkest depths of the sea bed, but also charmingly captivating turns from Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu, that allow the film to overcome the undertow of underdeveloped supporting characters and second act flimsy focus, summarizing a story about the resiliency of the human spirit and its will to thrive on the inexplainable.

My Grade: 7.9 or B