THE PERFECT STORM it’s not, but there are similarities…
THE FINEST HOURS is the dramatization of the U.S. Coast Guard’s greatest sea rescue mission of all time
It’s the heroic, true story action thriller of the incredible 1952 small boat rescue of a giant crippled oil tanker that was split apart during impossible sea conditions.
This is about an against-all-odds mission to save nearly 30 sailors trapped inside the rapidly sinking ship off the coast of Cape Cod.
The young captain in command of the daring undertaking was Bernie Webber played in the film by Chris Pine.
And as viewers, we experience the mission from both sides.
The first being the Coast Guard’s play-by-the-rules approach to the nearly impossible rescue. The other from inside the doomed vessel where tanker engineer Raymond Sybert is deperately trying to hold things together before help can reach them.
Sybert is portrayed in solid fashion by Casey Affleck.
But THE FINEST HOURS is more than just a disaster at sea. It’s also a love story—the old fashioned kind with Pine’s fiancee holding onto hope. Not only for the sailors on the tanker but also for the rescue crew fighting seemingly impossible odds with their small rescue ship.
The upside for me watching the film was the incredibly immersive recreation of the dark Atlantic Ocean in all its turbulent and massive force. It’s something to behold.
On the downside, the drama’s first act which pretty well sets up the love story part of the film borders on cheesy in my book.
However I could be in the minority here as the filmmakers’ approach the production is an—OK, I’ll say it—nostalgic kinda way.
We’re talking Disney’s visually stunning, (near) disaster drama which surrounds itself with the likes of Ben Foster, Holliday Granger, Eric Bana and John Ortiz.
THE FINEST HOURS opens ‘wide’ this weekend in 2D, 3D and in IMAX 3D formats.
My grade: B.
(Reviewed at AMC Studio 28, Olathe)
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday mornings during Kansas City’s Morning News with E.J. & Ellen on 98.1 FM, KMBZ.
as i was reading this review, russ simmons was on kkfi reviewing it as well. one those things i guess.
perfect storm, all is lost, even the guardian all do a pretty good job of presenting the ocean as the scariest place on earth during a storm. all three of them gave me goosebumps more than once.
i can’t imagine a more terrifying experience.
well, maybe falling off a skyscraper… that be pretty terrifying. or maybe facing a pack of hungry baboons, like that scene in hunger games. that’d be terrifying, too… or maybe…..
Fu*k Disney for laying off all of those American Workers.
That said, thanks for a great review. Sounds like a killer flick.
I crossed the Atlantic in a 400 Ft. ship around a dozen times. At the beam, we were 30 Ft. Once, in my first year, I had the Port wing watch, 5 levels up, on the bridge. They tied me onto some 1 inch line and sent me out into the worst storm I have ever imagined (Maybe until I see this movie.).
The Coast Guard Sailors, in a smaller ship/boat, must have seen the Harlequin in every swell. Jesus, I can’t imagine. I was terrified (In 1969) as the waves broke OVER the Oh Five Level and through me against the aft of the Bridge, as the line sucked the wind out of me. We headed straight into the eye of the storm (You have no choice.) and after 6 hours were safe again. I remember, Captain Wells, screaming and hoping that the Main Frames would break away and give us more ballast.
Again, I was on the Oh Five Level and as we dropped down into wave after wave, I would look up at a 20 to 30 degree angle at the waves coming onto the bow.
God Bless the Coast Guard and God Bless these great sailors.
that’s what I’m talkin’ about chuck! good lord, I’d have crapped my pants a dozen times if I hadn’t already thrown it all up.
man… some thrill ride, huh?
Only in retrospect.
🙂
I was a total chicken.
Jack I’m late to the party but saw Revenant last night. Grueling is the best way to describe the picture. Beautiful, painful, long but interesting ride. I see its a big hit with over 250 million worldwide but surprised to see it cost over 130 million to make. It seemed a modern version of ‘Man in The Wilderness’ starring Richard Harris 40 years ago. Still worth the ride. Everyone leaving Finest Hour enjoyed it very much. So they said.
if u have the attention span of say a comedy routine then yeah this movie will seem long.