Thirteen Lives

"5000 people, 17 countries, 1 miracle that united the world."

2022 2h 27m EN

🙌

7.8

BANGER

★7.8TMDB · 1,596

DramaThrillerHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Based on the true nail-biting mission that captivated the world. Twelve boys and the coach of a Thai soccer team explore the Tham Luang cave when an unexpected rainstorm traps them in a chamber inside the mountain. Entombed behind a maze of flooded cave tunnels, they face impossible odds. A team of world-class divers navigate through miles of dangerous cave networks to discover that finding the boys is only the beginning.

“5000 people, 17 countries, 1 miracle that united the world.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon Prime VideoSubscription

Amazon Prime Video with AdsSubscription

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Viggo Mortensen
Rick Stanton
Colin Farrell
John Volanthen
Joel Edgerton
Harry Harris
Tom Bateman
Chris Jewell
Paul Gleeson
Jason Mallinson
Teeradon Supapunpinyo
Coach Ek
Girati Sugiyama
Lek
Pasakorn Hoyhon
Chai

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ron Howard
Writers: Don MacPherson, William Nicholson, William Nicholson
Languages: English, Thai
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $55M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 4 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Thai.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ron Howard, shot by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Benjamin Wallfisch. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor James Wilcox shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ron Howard directs. Sayombhu Mukdeeprom behind the camera. Benjamin Wallfisch scores. James Wilcox cuts. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English, Thai.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $55M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Released 4 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Thai.
4International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
5Directed by Ron Howard, shot by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Benjamin Wallfisch. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor James Wilcox shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "5000 people, 17 countries, 1 miracle that united the world.".
10IMDB entry: tt12262116 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 9 themes, including "rescue", "cave", "thailand", "rescue mission".
12Released under 19 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
Original score: Benjamin Wallfisch
Editing: James Wilcox
Production design: Molly Hughes
Makeup / hair: Jacqui Deacon
Sound: Michael Fentum
Stunt coordinator: Charles Croughwell
Runtime: 147 min · 2h 27m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $55,000,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Thirteen Lives (2022)

Also by

Ron Howard

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2022-08-08
★ 6/10
MORE SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/ "Thirteen Lives follows the usual formulas of works based on true events, but Ron Howard's honest, non-Hollywoodized direction allows him to efficiently tell one of the most remarkable survival stories of the last decade. The entire cast is extraordinary, but it's Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell who mainly guide the film through all the relevant, claustrophobic plot points in a somewhat heavy viewing runtime-wise. Interesting for viewers with little to no knowledge of what happened, but the question remains as to whether it adds anything truly significant to the documentary The Rescue about the same 18 days of suffering, anxiety, and uncertainty. Massive praise for the worthy amount of screentime of the Thai language." Rating: B-
CinemaSerf2022-08-15
★ 7/10
What's possibly most remarkable about this real life tale of courage and ingenuity is that a pretty A-list cast don't really overwhelm the story. Their contributions are solid and fairly undramatic as they allow the chronology to develop and the suspense and pressure to accumulate. It's history - so we know what happens, but somehow that lack of jeopardy doesn't really matter as we follow the efforts of an international team trying to rescue the twelve boys and their coach who have found themselves stuck underground, a few kilometres from the entrance, after heavy monsoon rains struck and flooded the tunnels. Now, of course, the first question might have been for the coach - didn't he look at the weather forecast first? However, now marooned quickly in their dark and claustrophobic environment, Ron Howard takes his time to demonstrate to us all just how this most innovative and challenging of evacuations was planned and executed - none of it without considerable risk to everyone involved. We are drawn into the scenarios, and I felt that I had skin in this game - the story has a palpable immersion (no pun intended) for the viewer. The cast gel well without any stand-out contributions or wordy dialogue, which I think well illustrates the strenuous pressures put on these men, essentially volunteers, by themselves, the families, the authorities and the relentless rain. The subterranean photography works really well in generating a feeling of peril and I certainly shared in that sense of relief at the end... A cinema watch is better, if you can - somehow the big screen demonstrates the small, tight spaces, better!
RalphRahal2024-12-14
★ 7/10
Thirteen Lives is a deeply moving film that highlights the incredible true story of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand. Directed by Ron Howard, the movie focuses on the global effort and teamwork that led to the miraculous rescue of a young soccer team and their coach. The performances by Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton are excellent, portraying the bravery and skill of the divers who risked everything to save the boys. The film is technically outstanding, with gripping underwater scenes and a realistic portrayal of the challenging conditions faced by the rescuers. Howard’s direction keeps the focus on the human element, showing the immense sacrifices and collaboration that made the rescue possible. However, I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. The movie spends so much time on the rescuers’ perspective that it doesn’t dive deeply into the emotional experiences of the boys and their coach. This lack of focus on their side of the story left me feeling that a key part of the event’s impact was underexplored. Despite this, Thirteen Lives is still a powerful film that captures the resilience and determination of everyone involved in the rescue. It’s a testament to what humanity can achieve when people come together in the face of impossible odds. While it might not fully explore every emotional angle, it’s a well-made and inspiring story that’s worth watching.