The 33 - movie review

The 33

Plot: Based on the real-life event, when a gold and copper mine collapses, it traps 33 miners underground for 69 days.
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche
Director: Patricia Riggen 
Rating: 12A
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Release Date: Friday 29th January 2016

In 2010, 33 Chilean miners found themselves trapped in the depths of their mines after it collapsed upon them. I remember watching the news coverage for this and feeling sheer terror after hearing about the initial incident but then, 69 days later, that terror shifted to pure joy as, one by one, the miners were released. One of the key memories I have of this day was overhearing some news articles explaining how the entire sequence of events felt like something from a Hollywood blockbuster. 5 years later, that statement is now a reality. However, is it the movie these miners deserve?



In short, not quite. The main aspect of the movie that truly shines here, are the performances. And with the cast that is included, it's no surprise. Headlining the film is Antonio Banderas as Mario Sepúlveda, a miner who captured the hearts of the world after gaining celebrity like status. Here, Banderas conveys how truly likeable he is. His subtle humour in the face of danger is a welcome release from the dark and sometimes depressing tone of the film. But, as far as dramatic quality is concerned, Lou Diamond Phillips as Don Lucho knocks it out of the park with his acting. The sheer desperation that he portrays and struggle that his character was actually facing is terrifying to watch but, when things do go his way, the heartfelt emotion he presents is fantastic. As far as supporting characters are concerned, there were only a few that seemed memorable. Juliette Binoche was the only interesting character not trapped in the mine and in her single performance, she expressed the emotional torment that some families had to deal with. It's just a shame that some of the other actors playing the family members failed to copy that. Rodrigo Santoro was also incredibly wasted. The actor who played Xerxes in 300 can be such a commanding presence but he was given a simple and basic role that could have been played by anyone.

The story, I felt, was inconsistent. There were moments in which I was enthralled and fully entertained and there were others where it became tiresome and even absurd. The best moments of this film focused on the miners trapped underground. As I've mentioned before, the struggle they face both physically and mentally are incredibly apparent and well detailed. A highlight of the film came during a scene as the miners discover how little food that have left to eat. The shock and emotion conveyed in this scene makes it difficult to watch and that is then exemplified when you realise that it is a true story. The moment in which the mine collapses is also very tense and thrilling to experience. It almost felt like it was from a disaster movie which I view as a compliment as it successfully portrayed the chaos and destruction the miners were facing. Where the movie does begin to falter is the second and third act. After a blistering first act, the movie seems to have blown its load too early causing the second and third acts to be limp and lifeless. I'm all for deep and poignant interactions but a lot of them were almost repeated with identical circumstances. That led the movie to feel too 'Hollywoodised' meaning that the actual events within the mine may have not translated well to the screen leading to basic formulaic scenes to be implemented instead. There was also the most confusing and inappropriate use of humour in this film. Banderas' comedy was effective as it was nuanced and subtle but one scene in particular felt plain stupid. All the miners were imagining their final meal and hallucinating about loved ones joining them. The scene was going quite well until one miner joined with a cow asking for milk. It was so pointless and unfunny, that I questioned my mental state. Honestly, it felt forced and drew away from the dire state these miners were in.

The overall look of this movie was something that surprised me. With a budget of $26 million, I could tell that the money was well spent. The special effects looked realistic especially when the mine collapsed. And the set design was phenomenal. I genuinely had no idea if they had filmed inside a mine or not. It really was that convincing. The score is also noteworthy. Whilst not something to be raving about, the music used was often a blend of a tense and dramatic orchestral score but then also Latin American music which added excitement to the film. This was also the final movie the late James Horner composed. It may not have been his greatest work but he certainly left us with a more than suitable score to add to his wondrous work. 

So, to fully answer my previous question as to whether this is the film that the Chilean miners deserve, I would have to say, it'll do. The movie is by no means bad but there were a lot of missed opportunities. What may be more intriguing would be a feature length documentary with actual footage from the mines captured by the miners themselves. But in regards to the movie, the one thing it does correctly depict is the true courage and bravery these miners faced.

My Verdict: 5/10

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