Last Breath

A curiously bloodless account of a real-life disaster that has moments of gripping tension punctuating long stretches of fatally understated business as usual.

After seeing it, I felt deeply lucky to be chained to a desk.

Director Alex Parkinson, who co-directed a 2019 documentary about the incredible true story on which this film is based, makes an efficient fist of this breathless (literally) survival movie.

The deep, dark subaqueous world becomes the stage for a gripping survival drama. Parkinson and cinematographer Nick Remy Matthews understand this underworld realm as a place of gauzy slowness where dread unfolds at a measured pace.

Unfortunately, Last Breath squeezes every ounce of emotion from its premise. The suspense of locating Chris and determining his survival is extended to near excess.

The film wisely clocks in at just over 90 minutes, giving a sense of urgency that serves the story well. The watery recreations are well done&#59; If you fear drowning as much as I do, these scenes will be even more effective.

As Dad Movies go, this is still a good one. I can definitely see myself falling asleep on the couch to this some Sunday in the future.

Last Breath is a largely gripping affair.

While it’s rare to want a movie to be longer, it seems as if this story could’ve benefited from a little more development around the key personalities and the job, so there is a stronger connection with the audience.

The key here is the authenticity, and no one seems more suited to telling this story accurately than the maker of the original documentary.