Ron Howard’s 'Thirteen Lives' dishes out a compelling story about the Thai youth soccer team trapped in a flooded cave
Last month, Amazon has just premiered local content on Prime Video, announcing that the first local Amazon Original, Comedy Island: Philippines, with partner Base Entertainment, the company behind Trese anime series, is in the works, slated to come out in 2023. Original Asian content is Amazon’s novel commitment to the region.
Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives is a true story based on the rescue efforts of volunteer cave divers from all over the globe. Their mission is to get Thailand youth soccer team trapped in the Tham Luang Cave out to safety.
Back in 2018, as this rescue mission unfolded, all eyes were glued on the news, following every development. With the rising floodwaters combined with starvation, and no electricity, people were feeling hopeless about the survival of these kids.
Teammates of any sport are always looking to bond after practice. In Thirteen Lives, a teammate is having a birthday party but before his crew can see his SpongeBob Squarepants cake, the boys all bike to the Tham Luang Cave for an adventure, unaware of the flooding. The boys never make it to the party.
The unfortunate incident becomes a global concern. In England, John Volanthen (Colin Farrell) calls Rick Stanton (Viggo Mortensen), inviting him to join the rescue. Rick, who has never liked kids, is with the British Cave Rescue Council. He puts on an “unheroic” attitude, aloof, impatient, and convinced it’s an impossible mission.
The Thai government does not want any foreigner dying in the cave. But Rick is quick to reply: “We won’t die. I have zero interest in dying.”
And so, the team of cave diving experts makes its way to the cave, coordinating with the local authorities. Sometimes, they are lost in translation and the myriad differences in cultural beliefs.
For an ordinary diver, it’s a difficult undertaking because one’s vision is limited, there is current underwater, and all one hears is bubbles. But the thrill of rescuing the impossible is much more satisfying. All these are captured by Thai cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom who worked on Call Me by Your Name.
After more than 40 minutes of the film, compressing nine days of being trapped, we see the boys alive! Rick and John find them, document them, and promise to return to them with food, medicines, and space blankets.
One of the biggest heroes is the boys’ coach (Teeradon Supapunpinyo), a former Buddhist monk. He taught the boys how to meditate. Coach says, “Fear is created in our minds.”
The rescue wouldn’t have been possible without Australian Dr. Harry Harris played by Joel Edgerton. Unknown to many, Harry is an anesthetist and diver. Initially, he does not want to cooperate, having decided to give the boys anesthesia. It would be his first time to do this procedure underwater and it might have a zero chance of success. The Thai governor even warns him, “No one must know the method you propose not even the parents.”
Teamwork, collaboration, and trusting the experts are key to this successful mission. Thai actress Pattrakorn Tungsupakul plays Buahom, a mother who gives the film empathy and shows real emotions in the male-dominated film. She defenselessly waits at the cave entrance for 17 long days to witness the return of her beloved son.
She gives the divers bracelets of red beads, which symbolize good luck and blessing. It is among the many Thai traditions seen in the film. Rick does not believe in miracles but in the end, the bracelet “saves” him, whether he admits it or not.
On the credits, we see one of the co-producer’s name, Raymond Phathanavirangoon. Raymond has been coming in and out of the country, empowering our regional cinema by mentoring filmmakers through the Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC). It was good to see one of our Southeast Asian producers leading this Prime Video project.
Thirteen Lives is now streaming on Prime Video.