A Deep Dive into Disappointment: "Last Breath" Fails to Surface

A Tepid Adventure: Woody Harrelson Stays Dry in "Last Breath"

Billed as a deep-sea adventure, "Last Breath" promises thrills and spills beneath the waves, but its execution is as damp as the ocean floor it so inadequately explores. The film, directed by Alex Parkinson, is an adaptation of his 2019 documentary of the same name, recounting the harrowing tale of diver Chris Lemons, who was left adrift in the North Sea with no oxygen or communication. However, the cinematic version, co-written by Mitchell LaFortune and David Brooks, struggles to transform this nail-biting true story into a compelling narrative. While Lemons’s ordeal is inherently dramatic, the film’s inability to flesh out its characters or build tension leaves it feeling more like cinematic comfort food than a gripping disaster movie.

Woody Harrelson, playing Duncan Allcock, the leader of a three-man dive team, seems to have signed on with the condition that he wouldn’t get so much as a toenail wet. Harrelson’s character remains impressively bone-dry throughout, spending most of the movie seated—a far cry from the physical demands one might expect in a deep-sea rescue mission. Allcock’s entrance, complete with a Hawaiian shirt, ill-fitting khakis, a floral pillow, and a bag of chocolates, screams "mildly eccentric, extremely chill old-timer," a persona so aligned with Harrelson’s public image that it feels more like the actor playing himself than a fully realized character.

Underdeveloped Characters and Lazy Storytelling

The film’s inability to create well-rounded characters is one of its most glaring flaws. Harrelson’s Allcock is a prime example of this issue. The character’s quirks and mannerisms are so obviously tied to the actor’s persona that it becomes difficult to take him seriously as a seasoned diver on what he believes is his final mission. His dive buddies fare no better. Simu Liu’s Dave Yuasa is portrayed as a brooding, muscular figure, with the film relying on visual shorthand—such as Yuasa pumping iron early on—to establish his character. However, this lazy approach to character development leaves the audience with little understanding of who these people are beyond their dive suits.

Finn Cole’s Chris Lemons, the young diver at the center of the crisis, is given even less to work with. His role requires him to look cute and convincingly unconscious, but the film fails to give him any meaningful depth. The same can be said for Bobby Rainsbury, who plays Lemons’s anxious fiancée. Her character is woefully underserved, with the film doing little to explore her emotions or provide her with a meaningful arc. The result is a cast of characters who feel more like props than real people, making it difficult for the audience to become invested in their fate.

A Lack of Urgency Beneath the Waves

The film’s inability to convey urgency is another significant misstep. Much of the movie unfolds in near-pitch blackness, with Harrelson and Liu waiting in a diving bell for an opportunity to rescue their stranded teammate. The slow, sluggish pacing underwater contrasts jarringly with the supposed danger of Lemons’s situation. Even the on-screen timer, counting down the minutes of his reserve oxygen, fails to inject any real sense of tension into the proceedings. The action above the water, where the crew of the dive ship scrambles to address an electrical failure, is equally underwhelming. Mark Bonnar, playing the dive supervisor, is a bright spot in an otherwise dull film, but even his efforts can’t salvage the lackluster pacing.

Emotional Stakes and Missed Opportunities

For a movie based on such an intense real-life event, "Last Breath" is surprisingly devoid of emotional depth. The film’s focus on trite emotional stakes—such as Lemons’s worried fiancée—feels like a half-hearted attempt to tug at the audience’s heartstrings. However, without properly developed characters, these efforts fall flat. The film’s inability to explore the inner lives of its divers leaves the audience with little reason to care about their fates. This emotional detachment is compounded by the film’s lethargic pacing, making the entire experience feel more like a slog than a thrilling adventure.

A Missed Opportunity to Dive Deeper

Given the inherently dramatic nature of the source material, "Last Breath" feels like a wasted opportunity to tell a truly gripping story. The 2019 documentary on which the film is based likely captured the nail-biting intensity of Lemons’s ordeal, but the cinematic adaptation lacks the urgency and emotional resonance needed to bring this tale to life. Instead, the film settles for shallow characterizations and a plodding narrative that fails to engage on any meaningful level.

A Final Verdict: A Shallow Dive into the Deep End

In the end, "Last Breath" is a disappointing and lethargic film that fails to do justice to its source material. Despite the potential for thrilling action and emotional depth, the movie’s inability to develop its characters or build tension leaves it feeling shallow and uninspired. Harrelson, though clearly delighted with his role, can’t carry the film on his own, and the rest of the cast is given little to work with. As a result, "Last Breath" is a movie that fails to make a splash, both literally and metaphorically. With a runtime of just 1 hour and 33 minutes, it’s a short film, but even that feels too long given the lack of substance. For fans of deep-sea adventures, there are far better films to explore.

Last Breath
Rated PG-13 for oxygen deprivation and deep-sea heroics.
Running time: 1 hour 33 minutes. In theaters.