Film Review: The Finest Hours

 Genre: Action, Drama, History

Cert: 12A

  

Director: Craig Gillespie

Screen writer: Scott Silver  (screenplay) and Paul Tamasy (screenplay) & Eric Johnson   (screenplay) Casey Sherman  (book) and Michael J. Tougias (book)  

Starring: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana , Holliday Grainger ,   John Ortiz  , Kyle Gallner , John Magaro , Graham McTavish , Michael Raymond-James , Beau Knapp , Josh Stewart , Abraham Benrubi , Keiynan Lonsdale , Rachel Brosnahan .

Running time: 1h 57min

Parents advised to read before viewing film as some scene may contain scenes unsuitable for younger viewers.

Sex & Nudity: Some characters are seen kissing.

Violence & Gore: The boat and men aboard and seen beaten about. Blood is seen on the foreheads of several of them.

A man falls into the water and is crushed against a boat, but there is no blood or gore. 

Profanity: 2 uses of the "d" word, 5 "H" words, and several "Jesus" and "God" usages

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: A few characters are seen drinking at a bar.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 

• This film is based on a true story of a successful rescue that occurred in New England in 1952. A coast guard and his team are assigned to rescue people on an oil tanker that had been wrecked by violent waves during a harsh storm. Although it is depicted as a suicide mission, the team soldiers on to make their way through the roaring waves to rescue the trapped crew.

• The film contains scenes depicting water rushing into the wrecked ship, resulting in people and objects being thrown about in a chaotic manner.

• During the rescue, some men are seen slammed against the side of the ship, with one person dying in the process. However, there is no depiction of injury.

• In view of the intensity depicted in these scenes, parental guidance is recommended for viewing by younger children who may find the content unsettling and distressing

Story: In February of 1952, one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast struck New England, damaging an oil tanker off the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripping it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with frigid temperatures and 70-foot high waves, four members of the Coast Guard set out to rescue the more than 30 stranded sailors trapped aboard the rapidly-sinking vessel.

Likes : This film is incredible storytelling of courage & bravery at it best to face nature most destructive force at sea to rescue 32 men stuck on a stricken oil tanker that has only hours before she sink like the rest of the ship did.

The fact this is based on a true story as well made it even better which i didnt even realise until the end of the film , the film is based on history of Bernard C. Webber (played by Chris pine) (May 9, 1928 – January 24, 2009) was a United States Coast Guardsman. He was a petty officer assigned to Station Chatham, Massachusetts and part of his duties were that of coxswain of Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500.

Webber and his crew of three rescued the crew of the stricken tanker SS Pendleton, which had broken in half during a horrific storm on February 18, 1952 off Cape Cod. Webber maneuvered the 36-foot lifeboat under the Pendleton's stern with expert skill as the tanker's crew, trapped in the stern section, abandoned the wreck of their ship on a Jacobs ladder into the Coast Guard motor lifeboat.

It was kind of weird the way Chris pine played this role but knowing this was based on a true story i assume that how Barnard was , which if i can assume must of has slight autism just but the way he was taking & acting its a brilliant performance from Chris pine.

Holliday Grainger playing the love interest & future wife of Bernard's Miriam Webber who he married in April 16th 1952 stayed married for 58 years until Bernard death in 2009 at the age 81.

Her performance in this film was just outstanding in showing a worried engaged woman worried for her future husband to make it back safe in the most dangerous enivorment on earth.

It without a doubt one of the most intense , heart breaking roller-coast film that like perfect storm , of men trying to survive the most dangerous sea's while trying to keep half a boat afloat until they are rescued. It because a film of will they survive which make this film hearting breaking , intense & very satisfying to watch with good special effect & visual effect to add the scene believable at sea during a storm.

Special with almost a full cast of stars your probably recognise like Chris pine, Casey Affleck , Abraham Benrubi ( who actually looks like WWE kain ) , Keiynan Lonsdale ,  Josh Stewart ,Graham McTavish , Holliday Grainger , Kyle Gallner , Eric Bana & Ben Foster bring you a spectacular film.

If you love perfect storm this is a film i highly recommend , its easily a film to dismiss if you not sure about it but trust me this film is brilliant & worth checking out.

In honor of those brave men who to this day who got the gold Lifesaving medal for what they did on the night of February 18th 1952 is still considered the great small boat rescue in coast guard history.

Dislikes :  There isn't really must to say about anything in the film being unbelievable because stranger things have happened in life, but for half a boat to that smashed in two the front half of the ship sunk taking with it its captain & other crew manages to stay a float for 5 hours at least before sinking.

 Now if you were to nick pick at that yes you would see that as just dramatising the film a bit, but accord to the report this actually happened which is nothing short of a miracle if that was true.

But apart from that there isn't anything else to say was not believable.  

Overall : Roller-coaster on intense & emotional scenes, great story of courage & bravery, brilliant told true story.

Rating: 5 out of 5 for entertainment / 10 out of 10 for storytelling