The Cave

Year: 2019

Duration: 104 min

People power and authenticity drive this dramatic study of the July 2018 rescue of the Wild Boars football team, trapped in the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand. The situation had all the elements of a movie - a daring mission, impossible odds, and, most importantly, a happy ending. It's this last detail that would seemingly hamper any film adaptation - how do you tell a story where everyone knows how it ends? The solution is simple. Without compromising the inherent tension, Thai/Irish director Tom Waller focuses on the human element, showcasing a wide range of the thousands of people involved in the rescue. Several key participants portray themselves in this retelling, adding to its verisimilitude. With Hollywood versions inbound, it's appropriate that a Thai adaptation came first. This impressive film is likely to be the definitive realisation.—Byron Bay Film Festival

Genre: Action   Adventure   Drama   Thriller