“The 33” is about the 2010 mine collapse in Chile that trapped 33 miners. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is take a story people know and still make it captivating. While I didn’t remember the event, I still wanted to see how well this film could represent a true story.

The 2010 mine collapse struck the hearts of people all over the world. For 69 days, the world watched and waited for the incident to be resolved. With rations of food and water very low, it seemed an impossible feat for any of the miners to make it out alive.

The film focused on the relationships among miners while they were stuck as well as their rescue. Patricia Riggen directed powerful performances by Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips and other members of the cast.

While this American film easily could have cast high-profile actors, I respect the fact that it involved lesser-known actors for several roles.

They all connected well as the audience got to know them throughout the film. I didn’t expect much out of the cast initially but was pleasantly surprised.

At some points in the film, I found myself zoning out. This was a result of the script rather than the directing. Riggen pulled everything together to bring out the best in her actors and create a great film that is definitely worth seeing. 

With a bit more work, this surprisingly good film could have been phenomenal.

My Score: 3/4