THE RESCUE – The directors of this documentary, E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, said in a statement regarding the film’s purpose: “We wanted to make this movie for many of the same reasons that the story of the Thai children trapped in the cave captivated the hearts and minds of the world in 2018. It was an against-all-odds story that gave you hope. It brought out the best in people who united from many different nations to help these kids. There’s a line in the film that says, ‘Generosity is the beginning of everything,’ and that’s ultimately what the film is about.”
In fact, one could say that the mission was accomplished. “The Rescue” is not only about the incident in which 12 children, members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach, were trapped in a cave in Thailand. They had entered the cave, unaware that rising waters would prevent them from leaving. This documentary is also about the display of international solidarity. Cave explorers and cave divers from the UK, Australia, the US, China, and other parts of the world undertook what at times seemed an impossible task: bringing the kids and the coach to safe ground.
The volunteers and a special US military unit joined the dedicated work of the Thai Navy SEALs, first trying to find out whether the kids were still alive and then to conceive of a feasible plan to rescue them. The complicated configuration of the terrain and the risk of torrential rain flooding the cave and drowning everyone there, including the rescuers, made the situation increasingly desperate. Even one former Thai Navy SEAL, who volunteered to the rescue efforts, died during one of the attempts to reach the internal chamber where the kids and their coach were stranded. The only casualty in the whole episode.
“The Rescue” is one of those documentaries that manage to keep the audience in suspense, even though we all know that the rescue had a happy ending. At the same time, it brings to the audience a vivid testimony of the extraordinary work done by the rescuers. The message is supported by excellent photography and archival material. I recommend this film to all interested in a well-done documentary, with a positive tone, particularly showing the generosity of those rescuers who volunteered in this task. Cave exploration enthusiasts will certainly enjoy it too.
Duration: 107 min.
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