REVIEW - Last Breath (2025)

I had the opportunity to catch an advanced screening of Last Breath thanks to the latest AMC Screen Unseen event, and I have to say—I was completely hooked from start to finish. Going in, I had never seen the 2019 documentary that this film is based on, which actually worked in my favor. I had no idea how the story would unfold or whether the protagonist would make it out alive, and that uncertainty made the experience all the more tense and immersive.

Directed by Alex Parkinson, Last Breath is a pulse-pounding survival thriller that plunges us into the harrowing true story of deep-sea saturation diver Chris Lemons. Played by Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders), Chris finds himself in a nightmare scenario—stranded nearly 300 feet below the surface of the North Sea with only minutes of oxygen left and no clear rescue in sight. The film also stars Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu as two of Chris’s fellow divers, both of whom bring depth and urgency to their performances, making you feel every ounce of the pressure they’re under—both figuratively and literally.

One of the film’s biggest strengths is how well it captures the extreme isolation of deep-sea diving. Parkinson, who co-directed the original documentary, has an incredible eye for tension-building, and it’s clear he knows exactly how to frame a scene to keep you on edge. The underwater cinematography is breathtaking yet terrifying, making you feel as trapped and helpless as Chris does. The use of dim lighting, the eerie vastness of the ocean, and the muffled sound design all contribute to an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia that lingers throughout the film.

What surprised me the most about Last Breath was its ability to balance technical authenticity with emotional weight. The diving sequences are meticulously detailed, but the film never feels bogged down by too much technical jargon. Instead, it seamlessly weaves those details into the storytelling, allowing viewers to grasp the high-stakes nature of saturation diving without losing sight of the human element. The relationships between the crew members, the sacrifices made, and the moral dilemmas faced all add an emotional punch that elevates the film beyond just another survival thriller.

For those familiar with the documentary, this version might not carry the same shock factor, but for newcomers like me, the suspense was relentless. Even if you do know how the story ends, Last Breath does an excellent job of making you feel like you’re experiencing it in real-time. Every ticking second counts, and the film doesn’t let you breathe easy until the very last frame.

With a tight 93-minute runtime, Last Breath wastes no time, delivering a nerve-wracking and visually stunning experience that sticks with you long after the credits roll. It’s a testament to human resilience, the unpredictability of the ocean, and the strength of those who risk their lives in the depths of the sea.

If you get the chance to see this one on the big screen, do it. The underwater sequences alone make it worth experiencing in a theater, where the darkness and sound design can fully immerse you in Chris’s terrifying predicament. Last Breath is set to hit theaters on February 28, 2025, and will later be available for streaming on Peacock. Whether you’re a fan of survival thrillers, true-story adaptations, or just looking for a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this one is absolutely worth a watch.