Thirteen Lives Review: Thai Cave Rescue Gets Detailed & Gripping Retelling
As far as inspirational true stories go, few can probably top the story behind the rescue of 12 boys and one man from a flooded cave. The unbelievable nature of the infamous Tham Luang rescue captivated people around the globe, and now director Ron Howard has offered his spin on it with Thirteen Lives. As the man who brought the gripping Apollo 13 to life, Howard is one of the filmmakers best suited to tackle this story — and he does so with skill and sensitivity. While certain elements feel underdeveloped, Thirteen Lives is an affecting look at one of the most incredible events of the past decade.
In 2018, the world was stunned by the news that twelve members of a Thai soccer team — comprised of boys aged 11 to 16 — and their coach had been trapped inside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave by rising water levels when monsoon season came early. Thirteen Lives tells the harrowing story of how aid came from around the world, with everyone from Thai Navy SEALs to rescue divers from England (most prominently played by Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell) getting involved. As the days stretched on, hope of rescue dwindled. However, as anyone who followed the news story knows, this is a situation that goes far beyond what anyone expected.
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At a lengthy two-and-a-half hours long, Thirteen Lives certainly does a good job of conveying just how long this rescue effort took. Spanning more than two weeks and consisting of countless hours-long dives, the actual Tham Luang cave rescue was an arduous process, and one can argue that Thirteen Lives' lengthy runtime really highlights that. To be sure, most of what happens onscreen is engrossing and can help
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