The 33 and others reviewed
THE 33 Blu-ray+digital HD Warner Bros.
½ out of 5
The fact we already know how it ends isn’t the only reason this true story about the 2010 rescue of 33 Chilean gold miners trapped underground for 69 days lacks tension. Frankly, it’s a little dull.
Yes, the special effects are decent and it boasts a stellar cast that includes Antonio Banderas, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin and Lou Diamond Phillips. But it’s curiously pedestrian and TVmovieish.
While one certainly gets an idea of the despair and terror the miners felt at being trapped deep under a desert mountain with little chance of being rescued, some of the above-ground scenes make more of an impression, showing how their families and friends spent weeks in a makeshift camp near the mine, hoping and praying for a miracle.
And the rescue was miraculous. Several international drilling teams were involved, including one from Canada. Though repeatedly frustrated by difficult geological conditions, rescuers were able to locate the miners and send them food and water while a shaft big enough to contain a rescue capsule was prepared.
There’s a good featurette that includes a recent reunion of the rescued miners.