Review of The Finest Hours (2016) by Maksim B — 18 Apr 2016

Based on a true story, albeit quite an over-dramatized one, The Finest Hours is a passable blend of period and a rescue drama that meets all requirements to be considered a traditional old-school movie. Far from offering a nail-biting experience, the movie has a solid tension build-up and it is bolstered by satisfying performances of its cast in order to provide a generally crowd-pleasing home cinema entertainment.

The story of the petrol tanker SS Pendleton is surely an intriguing one as it represents the biggest rescue operation conducted by a small coast guard vessel. Even though everything is quite overdramatized, the viewers would be pleased by the overall directorial approach taken by Craig Gillespie when it comes to depicting the wrath of the storm and the dire situation of the crew. This is by far the best and the most intriguing part of The Finest Hour.

Unfortunately, the other part of Gillespie's movie, showing the rescue efforts of Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) and colleagues is the weakest link of this movie. First of all, the dramatic load in Webber's efforts to reach SS Pendleton are not as griping as the attempts of the tanker's crew to keep it afloat for as long as possible. Secondly, the presence of Miriam (Holiday Grainger), Webber's fiancée, is actually annoying simply because it opens another sub-plot which is never fully developed and distracts the viewers' attention from the real drama. This is partially compensated by the cool-blooded performance of Chief Engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck), whose ability to think creatively in the most critical moments is crucial for the survival of the crew.

In the end, The Finest Hours is one of those traditional old-school movies that you will see at home, with the family and you will be pleased with it. Just like a typical crowd-pleaser it will quickly be forgotten, but at least it will not make you feel as if you have lost your time or money watching it. If you are in the mood of a rescue drama with good visual effects, decent story and cast, then give it a try.