The Last Descent

The movie had the potential to bring out the real horror faced by John in that hopeless situation like similar movies have done. But the unnecessary fillers and they probably toned down the incident to be more of watchable made this and avg movie. In reality it was a horrifying event I'm sure and the lady playing his wife in the movie also acted cold and emotionless, which made things even worse.

This movie is inspired by the true story of John Jones. I was unfamiliar with his story of getting stuck in a narrow passageway while caving with his brother in 2009. This movie is a sweet, sad, and surprisingly romantic story. It isn't extremely exciting or entertaining but it is an emotional movie. My wife watched less than 10 minutes with me and still left the room crying. The movie is obviously low budget and some of the acting is not great. But considering what it has to work with, some things are done really well. I'm a little ambivalent about movies where one person is stuck in one spot throughout the whole movie. It's a challenge to keep such movies from getting tiresome. This movie keeps things interesting enough by jumping around between the rescuers above ground, John's situation inside the cave, and the romantic flashbacks with John and his wife. There is also a mysterious figure that keeps popping up in John's hallucinations which creates a little mystery. Some will appreciate this sweet story while others will find it to be too slow. What I appreciated most was the honest dialogue between John and the rescuers who stayed by his side. John felt just like the kind of family man we know from our own lives. He was very relatable which made this story even more emotional.

Way too Many flashbacks. Took up a third to half the film. Film too long. Ending rubbish.

And this can't all be blamed on being a low budget film. Cccc ccc.

As you'd expect, this is not for anyone who has above average claustrophobia and it's tough enough anyhow. They soften the technical details of how he's stuck but the point is clear.

Knowing it's a true story and knowing the ending doesn't make it easier. I don't get the negative reviews, or how it might have been done better, except as a gritty technical exercise (a different type of movie).

The flashback and premonition scenes are well done, also. This was a difficult story to tell under any circumstances.

Chadwick Hopsin gave a stellar performance as John. Kudos to Halasima for a beautifully done mosaic of John's life & ordeal. All actors were believable, set was well-done w/great attention to detail. Those saying you shouldn't watch if you're claustrophobic weren't kidding; it is very tense when John is scooching thru the narrow passage. Later, that extreme level of tension diminishes. However, I found that days after watching, this story still haunts me. Many call it similar to 127 Hours but it's more similar to Everest (Rob Hall), imo. Despite the horrific ordeal, there simply isn't the same level of suspense.

Some reviews are unhappy with the way the film was done. But w/any art, you need to look for what the presentation is trying to convey, not what you think it should convey. This is a beautiful retelling of who John was, what became of him, & some interesting ideas of what he might have experienced. But it does leave a lot out, which can be found on the web. IE, it doesn't reveal they tried to dig rock away to make more room, that 2 rescuers got stuck, or that only 15 were qualified to actually go into that part of the cave. It doesn't tell that the son of the cave-access manager was sent in to do the final crawl with a stethoscope. The nimble 15 y/o was a regular caver who also brought with him the radio for a final goodbye to Emily, which never took place.

I would definitely recommend watching this part-documentary/ part-drama & then do a search where you'll find things like a drawing depicting how John was positioned & the narrow access routes. The rescuer called Aaron in the film was actually Ryan Shurtz. In the only detail I could find about Ryan it was said despite his cave & rescue expertise when he first saw John's predicament he had to hold back tears. Both Ryan & Susie became friends of the families. But be warned: This film will stick to you. Many viewers find their way to YT channels like TFIL or CBG, where seasoned spelunkers film their adventures and make it back out. For me, watching those videos gave me some relief and a better understanding of what happened to John and even what kind of person would attempt such a challenge.

For those complaining there was a religious thread, this film wasn't designed to avoid personal triggers but to portray a man's touching journey. I think those who fear believers to the point they're compelled to constantly draw attention to their distain are the very people who need such trust & tranquility in their own lives. It's yours for the asking. I found this aspect of the film to be very moving, personally. Regardless if a person considers themselves a believer, we all long to know our loved one has found some solace and that they are not really lost.

Truly an amazing, intense watch. So glad I stumbled onto this film. There are many other harrowing stories of cavers around the world but, to my knowledge, this is the only full-length docudrama. But I will stress again, this will haunt some of those who watch.