Review of The Finest Hours (2016) by Orlando O — 28 Jan 2016

The Finest Hours is a straightforward disaster adventure film about the U.S. Coast Guards attempting to rescue the crew on an oil tanker that is split apart in the events of 1952. The film has some intense action sequences and pretty impressive visual effects.

Otherwise, the plot is brought down from a dull love story, and boring dramatic moments with the crew on the oil tanker led by Ray (Casey Affleck) and on shore with Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) and his coast guard team.

The film does start out slow as we see Bernie going on a blind date with Miriam (Holliday Grainger). The script tried to have a slow building love story to build an emotional connection with the characters.

It is still lacking development on the characters, as months passes and Miriam and Bernie are in a serious relationship as they are both planning on marriage before he heads out to sea. Bernieâ(TM)s team is still having doubts and issues with him from their previous mission that did not go well which is causing tension with his team attempting to follow orders from him.

Then, Chief Officer Daniel (Eric Bana) is sending Bernie and his team out on a small boat to go on the search for a oil tanker that is split into two during a rough storm. Meanwhile, Ray is trying to take leadership, as he is trying to command and save the rest of the remaining crew on an oil tanker that is barely floating.

While his crew doubts his leadership skills, as he is trying to salvage the rest of the ship until they get help out of the storm. The script lacked the characterization to even give an emotional connection with the characters.

Once Bernie and his crew are out on the coast, the film does have some intense sequences, as they battle through the waves and they are blinded without a radar and compass, as they search for the oil tanker during the storm.

The visual effects were impressive and exciting. That does come to an end rather fast, for a theme of man vs. nature idea; it doesnâ(TM)t feel like it has a climax in the film and everything was resolved a little too abruptly which does not live up to its title.

It may not be at its finest, it is a fair disaster film with some action sequences, and a dull story.