Written by Marina Coates
Last Breath is the incredible true story of Chris Lemons (Finn Cole), who, during a routine repair dive in the North Sea, had his umbilical cable severed and became trapped 300 feet underwater without heat and with only about ten minutes of air in his backup tank.
You may recognize this story; it was originally made into a documentary of the same name directed by Richard da Costa and Alex Parkinson seven years ago (it’s now on Netflix). This narrative adaptation of Last Breath was directed by Alex Parkinson, who also co-wrote the script with Mitchell LaFortune and David Brooks. Adapting a documentary into a feature film can be challenging and often comes off as cheesy, but thankfully, we are in capable hands with Parkinson. Last Breath is undeniably the work of an experienced documentarian who deeply understands his subject matter.
The film follows Chris (Cole) as he teams up with veteran diver Dave Yuasa (Simu Liu) on a routine repair dive 300 feet below the ocean’s surface off the coast of Scotland. They are joined by Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson), who acts as a sort of mission control for the dive and serves as an unofficial mentor to Chris. During an extreme storm, a computer glitch causes the ship to lose its anchor, pulling Chris and Dave’s source of power, heat, and air further away from their position on the ocean floor. While Dave makes it back in time, Chris’ umbilical cable (connecting him to the ship) becomes ensnared and ultimately snaps, stranding him in the middle of the ocean.
The film not only focuses on Chris but also highlights the crew, including Dive Supervisor Craig (Mark Bonnar), Captain Andre Jenson (Cliff Curtis), and first mate Hanna (MyAnna Buring), as they scramble to help Chris despite the hundreds of feet between them. This storyline surprised me; I was expecting Chris, Dave, and Duncan to be largely cut off from the outside world, with Dave trying to save Chris through a series of physical challenges, but what we get is so much better. A perfect storm of malfunctions and issues had to transpire for Chris to end up on the ocean floor with no oxygen, and the various crew members we follow illuminate each of these problems and the great lengths they went to save Chris.
Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu excel in their roles as Duncan and Dave (which are surprisingly not overly action-packed), adding a level of sincerity and humanity to a film that could easily succumb to overdramatization. Harrelson was born to play the wise mentor, and here he delivers another excellent performance that feels distinctly his own despite the similarities Duncan has to other characters he is known for.
Despite his extraordinary story, Chris Lemons isn’t an exceptionally captivating person. He often downplays his experiences, making Cole’s performance even more commendable. Cole brings a likability and relatability to Lemons that we don’t often see from Lemons himself while still establishing him as an ordinary everyman.
I have seen my fair share of thrillers this year, and I have to say, none had me on the edge of my seat the way Last Breath did—I often had to remind myself to breathe. Regardless of your previous knowledge of the true story, you’re sure to be enthralled by the tension and anticipation of Last Breath.
