Thirteen Life is a 2022 American biographical film directed and produced by Ron Howard, based on a screenplay by William Nicholson. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman. Thirteen Lives was released in select theatres by United Artists Releasing on July 29, 2022, and premiered on Prime Video on August 5, 2022. It generally received positive reviews from critics.
The Storyline of Thirteen Lives
The movie Thirteen Lives is based on the well-known Tham Luang cave structure in Thailand from 2018, where 12 boys and a soccer coach were imprisoned for three weeks in a flooded cave. Despite the efforts of the Thai military, the children were trapped for days, and the actions of professional divers from the UK and Australia finally rescued them. The film, released on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, August 5, tells the tale of this remarkable rescue as told by the divers, the kids and their families, and the helpless local officials.
My Review of Thirteen Lives
I admit I was scared when I first heard about the movie. It’s easy to cast a white actor in a film about a Third World tragedy and turn it into a “white saviour” story. But Ron Howard solves the problem with skill. Very knowledgeable and respectful of the story and the country, emphasizing the role of local authorities and residents. This is not a story of four white men teaching Thai people to work, but four ordinary people giving society a chance to save children.
The only downside is a running time of almost 2 and a half hours, about 15-20 minutes long. Of course, resolving many of the stories and events will take longer, but it would have been more interesting if the film was a little shorter.
A Cast of Thirteen Lives
- Viggo Mortensen-Richard Stanton
- Colin Farrell-John Volanthen
- Joel Edgerton-Richard Harris
- Tom Bateman-Chris Jewell
- Sukollawat Kanarot-Saman Kunan
- Thiraphat Sajakul-Anand
- Sahajak Boonthanakit-Narongsak Osatanakorn
- Vithaya Pansringarm-General Anupong Paochinda
- Teeradon Supapunpinyo-Ekkaphon Chanthawong
- Nophand Boonyai-Thanet Natisri
- Paul Gleeson-Jason Mallinson
- Lewis Fitz-Gerald-Vernon Unsworth
- U Gambira-Kruba Boonchum
The Conclusion of Thirteen Lives
Every rhythm, every element, and every moving component in the film Thirteen Lives work together to convey a tale. It has the clear narrative direction of a Martian but also the gritty realism of Captain Phillips. A quick scene at the end where the five main divers gather in a simple room after the operation. Bateman’s acting is so obvious you’d be ashamed of your average Hollywood gimmick.
