By: Kimberly Grant
For the Boys could also be the title for Ron Howard’s latest film. Howard is no stranger to directing films based on real-life events. After all, he directed Apollo 13. Maybe he has a connection with numbers in titles.
In his latest film, Thirteen Lives, the audience is taken on the harrowing journey of John Volanthen (played by a subdued Colin Farrell) and Rick Stanton (a determined Viggo Mortensen) as they search, then plan the rescue efforts of 13 boys and their soccer coach who are stuck in a cave that’s threatening to be submerged with the next rain.
Thirteen Lives (written by William Nicholson and based on a story by Nicholson and Don MacPherson)can be seen on Amazon Prime starting August 5.
The Lives of Others
Based on a true story, Thirteen Lives takes the audience on a heart-pounding journey deep under sea. The events of the film took place in 2018 in Thailand where the Tham Luang cave is located. To be frank, the entire story is a miracle in itself. To set the stage, the young boys are the Wild Boars soccer team who have just won a victory. In order to celebrate, they and their coach decide to explore the local cave. Only, it is monsoon season in Thailand and the Tham Luang can easily be flooded and submerged. Incidentally, most of these boys don’t know how to swim; let alone dive.
Sucked in by a strong current, the boys and their coach take shelter in one of the caves within Tham Luang that’s not submerged into water. Unable to find their way out, the boys and their coach decide to wait for help. Unfortunately, help doesn’t arrive until almost 10 days later. This is a tale of survival, determination, and a sheer willingness to be selfless.
Mission: Rescue Dive
The Thai government finds itself scrambling to find the quickest and best way to get to the boys. They enlist their top navy seals who are considered rescue divers to bring the boys home. Unfortunately, open air diving is very different (and a lot less dangerous) then cave diving. That’s where the British Cave Rescue Council comes in. Representing the council is John (an IT consultant) and Rick (a retired British firefighter). Together, they work and strategize how to bring the boys out of the cave into safety without the loss of life.
John and Rick aren’t the only ones leading the effort, though. There are the seals of the Thai Royal Navy that include Manop (Shakriya Tarinyawat), Saman (Sukollawat Kanarot), Dr. Karn (Popetorn Soonthornyanakij) and Commander Kiet (Thira Chutikul). There are people from other Asian lands who are working with the local villagers to divert the monsoon of rain water from the caves to the crops. This way, the rescuers have a better chance with their missions. There’s the beleaguered Governor Narongsak (Sahajak Boonthanakit) who is tasked with keeping everyone calm in a tough situation. And, a few more British rescue divers join the efforts: Dr. Harry (Joel Edgerton), Jason (Paul Gleeson), and Chris (Tom Bateman).
Deep Dive Into Talent
In this film, the audience is practically submerged with the rescue divers. The actors, who had some diving experience chose to do their own underwater stunts; which was taxing on them mentally and physically. It also made for less editing and a more authentic visual for the audience.
The visuals in this film, thanks to the abilities of Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (who is of Thai descent) were quite engaging and really let the audience see what the real-life divers saw. The darkness of the space with its minimal light being a reminder of just how dangerous this rescue effort was at that time. According to Ron Howard, the film was shot in a controlled environment that replicated the caves of Tham Luang. That way, the actors, who were performing their stunts, could be as authentic as possible.
The visuals weren’t the only immersive part of Thirteen Lives. The sound mixing and design is stellar. Each time a diver is underwater, the camera follows suit. The audience can hear the sound of being underwater and really feel the nothingness experienced by the divers. The sound of the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) hitting the rocks of the cave feel true. And, of course, the sound of the underwater movement really puts the audience in the caves. This is all thanks to the sound stylings of Alex Boyesen, Chris Burdon, Michael Fentum, Lizzie Campbell-Kelly, Vic Kaspar, and the rest of the film’s sound department.
It goes without saying that the direction of the film is just as stellar as the sound. Howard is a genius director, so you know the film will have all the feels: suspense, intrigue, joy, fear, and a wow moment.
Save the Boys
There is a common theme in this movie about everyone doing what they can to “save the boys”. According to Mortensen, the beautiful people of Thailand have a giving nature. Whether you believe in God or a higher power, there is some part of you that will understand in order to receive, you must give. People from around the world stepped in to assist in rescuing the Wild Boars and their coach. They risked their lives and ignored issues back home, just so they could bring home a team of boys from the wet wilderness. That said, everyone in the film is a hero. This is a wonderful film that showcases the beauty, resilience, and selflessness of the Thai people.
You can read more reviews from Kimberly Grant here.
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