Based on an inspiring true story, LAST BREATH follows a seasoned deep-sea diver as he battles the raging elements to rescue his crewmate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface. LAST BREATH is an electrifying story about teamwork, resilience, and a race against time to do the impossible.

Review

Last Breath follows the true story of a September 2012 incident in the North Sea. While attempting to repair an oil pipeline off the coast of Scotland, the diving support ship Bibby Topaz lost control of the automated system of thrusters that held it in place above the repair crew. The 90-minute film covers at a high level the events that took place as the dive crew deals with the disaster and the rescue of the lost diver.

The cast consists of Chris Lemons (Finn Cole), Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson), and David Yuasa (Simu Liu) as the primary dive team A, who is the first crew sent out to do the repair work. As you might expect, things get dicey and harrowing as we watch the events unfold underwater. Lemons’ gas line is caught on the underwater structure as the ship above drifts aimlessly. If you thought your job was rough, saturation diving is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

The film does a decent job of underwater filming, demonstrating the lack of visibility and conditions divers face while doing their work. We also get a pretty step-by-step view of how divers prepare for their underwater work. The shorter film length did come at the price of eliminating some of the tension and drama of Lemons’ moments while stuck alone under water and the general reactions of the ship’s crew. In some ways, the chemistry between much of the cast felt a bit like acquaintances versus friends/family/colleagues working a dangerous job together for years.

Still, the film got the point across in telling the story and the outcome. The interesting facts of Lemon’s outcome from that dive is something that many still talk about today, and if you are someone who loves diving or this type of work or is just curious about the story, it’s worth a watch. Last Breath hits theatres on Friday, Feb 28th.