THE FINEST HOURS (2016) Review
Directed by Craig Gillespie
Based on a true story about a daring and almost impossible rescue of coast guards composed of four lead by Bernard “Bernie” Webber (Chris Pine) to a group of seamen lead by Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) surviving to steer the stinking stern of their tanker which was already in half caused by the huge waves. The film starts ordinary, Bernie is about to meet his phone pal Miriam, played by Holliday Grainger which starts their love story and will play, well actually doesn’t look like it has that much effect on Bernie but has a bigger impact on Miriam who was promised a wedding before her fiance has to go on and do his job.
The story gets its stakes along with its suspense high when it takes the audience to the sea where huge waves, howling wind and snow aren’t just the only difficulty the surviving seamen and the coast guards are facing. The scenes are horrifying knowing that these happened in real life and how they depicted it, it’s really incredible. The courage of these men both the coast guards and the seamen is amazing, it feels as though something like this is impossible to pull off but since it is a true story, we have to go with they did.
The Finest Hours may not go deeply personal with its characters but how the story was told, the journey, it was profound. Yes, it gets predictable and sentimental most of the time but it is gripping, fun, exciting and delightful to watch. And experiencing it in IMAX 3D, the large IMAX screen and its impressive sound system, it takes you further to a more thrilling movie experience.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“The Finest Hours” is now showing in Philippine cinemas also in 3D, 3D/4Dx and IMAX 3D from Walt Disney Pictures. Rated PG by the MTRCB.