Last Breath won’t redefine the survival genre, nor does it aim to. It’s a modest, tightly contained drama that prioritizes atmosphere and character over spectacle. Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu co-star as a pair of deep-sea divers tasked with saving one of their own as they struggle with a limited supply of oxygen.
‘Last Breath’ Movie Review
Last Breath is a tense, subdued deep-sea survival drama that thrives on the strength of its lead performances from Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu. Directed by Alex Parkinson, the film is a dramatization of a true story Parkinson previously covered in his 2019 documentary of the same name. That unique crossover — a filmmaker adapting his own nonfiction work into a narrative feature — adds an extra layer of intrigue, even if it slightly dampens the suspense for those familiar with the outcome.
Harrelson and Liu play Duncan Allcock and David Yuasa, saturation divers sent to the ocean floor to work on a remote gas pipeline. The mission quickly turns life-threatening when their partner, Chris Lemons (played by Finn Cole), is stranded outside their pod with only minutes of oxygen left. The tension builds around their efforts to locate and revive Lemons, while communication with the surface — headed by Cliff Curtis in a reliably grounded supporting role — adds a steady beat of urgency and dread.
Though Last Breath is technically a survival thriller, it functions more effectively as a slow-burning, procedural drama. Parkinson avoids over-stylizing the action, instead focusing on the claustrophobic atmosphere and the psychological toll of being trapped in the deep. His pacing is deliberate, and the film often leans into stillness and silence, creating a mood that’s more contemplative than pulse-pounding.
The biggest challenge Last Breath faces is its predictability. Since the film is based on real events — and those familiar with the documentary or headline story likely know how it ends — the dramatic stakes are somewhat softened. The third-act resolution feels inevitable, which removes some of the narrative tension and makes the emotional payoff more muted.
Still, the cast elevates the material. Woody Harrelson brings grit and emotional weight to his role, while Simu Liu delivers one of his more mature and grounded performances to date. Their chemistry and quiet desperation are enough to carry the film through its thinner stretches. Finn Cole, though given less to do for much of the runtime, adds poignancy in key moments in the film’s final stretch.
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Last Breath won’t redefine the survival genre, nor does it aim to. It’s a modest, tightly contained drama that prioritizes atmosphere and character over spectacle. While it may struggle to find a wide audience — it’s not action-heavy enough for genre fans and not prestige enough for awards season — it lands as a respectable early-year release that showcases solid craft and committed performances.
Score: 6/10
Last Breath (2025)
- Cast: Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, Cliff Curtis, Mark Bonnar
- Director: Alex Parkinson
- Genre: Drama, Thriller
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Rated: PG-13
- Release Date: February 28, 2025
- Movies Like Last Breath: The Shrouds, Bring Them Down, The Revenant