Thirteen Lives

{{Infobox film

| image = Thirteen Lives.jpeg

| caption = Promotional release poster

| director = Ron Howard

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Brian Grazer
Ron Howard
Karen Lunder
William M. Connor
P.J van Sandwijk
Gabrielle Tana

}}

| screenplay = William Nicholson

| story = {{Plainlist|

Don Macpherson
William Nicholson{{cite web|url=https://directories.wga.org/project/1206056/thirteen-lives/|title=Thirteen Lives|website=directories.wga.org|access-date=August 5, 2022|archive-date=October 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002061921/https://directories.wga.org/project/1206056/thirteen-lives/|url-status=live}}

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Benjamin Wallfisch

| cinematography = Sayombhu Mukdeeprom

| editing = James D. Wilcox

| studio = {{Plainlist|

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Bron Creative
Imagine Entertainment
Storyteller Productions
Magnolia Mae Films

}}

| distributor = United Artists Releasing
Amazon Studios

| released = {{Film date|2022|7|29|United States|2022|8|5|Prime Video}}

| runtime = 147 minutes

| country = {{plainlist|

United States
United Kingdom
Canada

}}

| language = {{plainlist|

Thai
English
Northern Thai

}}

| budget = $55 million

| gross =

}}

Thirteen Lives is a 2022 biographical survival film, based on the Tham Luang cave rescue, directed and produced by Ron Howard and written by William Nicholson. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman.

Thirteen Lives was released in select theaters in the United States on July 29, 2022, by United Artists Releasing, and began streaming on Prime Video on August 5, 2022. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

On June 23, 2018, twelve boys of the junior football team "Wild Boars" and their assistant coach Ekkaphon Chanthawong leave practice to explore the Tham Luang cave. When the team fails to arrive at a birthday party organized by their parents, their families head to the caves, only to find them flooded and the boys missing, their bikes left at the entrance. The parents immediately alert emergency services.

Royal Thai Navy SEALs, led by Captain Arnont, arrive to search for the missing boys, but find the dive too difficult to locate the team. Vernon Unsworth, a local British caver, shares his extensive knowledge of the complex and dangerous cave and suggests the authorities get in touch with the British Cave Rescue Council. British cavers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen travel to Thailand and attempt the dive, finding the boys and coach four kilometres from the entrance. During an attempt to deliver air tanks to the boys to keep them alive in preparation for the rescue, former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan drowns.

Meanwhile, as hundreds of volunteers try to mitigate poor weather conditions, a water technician from Bangkok gains the permission of local farmers to divert water from the mountain onto their fields, destroying their crop.

Realising the boys will have to be removed through the cave, via a six-hour dive, knowing what the risks are, Stanton and Volanthen contact Dr. Richard Harris, plus supporting divers Chris Jewell and Jason Mallinson. With permission from the regional governor and minister, the divers sedate the boys and, with one diver per boy, carry each member out of the cave safely. The coach is removed last.

The end scene is the boys celebrating the birthday party that was supposed to happen on the day they went into the cave. The end credits reveal that the coach and three of the boys, who were all stateless, are given Thai citizenship.

The film is dedicated to Saman Kunan, the Thai Navy SEAL who died on July 6, 2018, during the rescue operation, and Beirut Pakbara, a Thai Navy SEAL who later died from a blood infection.{{Cite web |title=Thai SEAL dies of blood infection contracted during cave rescue last year |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/12/28/thai-cave-rescue-death-thai-navy-seal-dies-of-infection/2766166001/ |archive-date=August 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220821175747/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/12/28/thai-cave-rescue-death-thai-navy-seal-dies-of-infection/2766166001/ |url-status=live |website=USA Today |agency=Associated Press |date=28 December 2019 |access-date=August 21, 2022}}

Cast

Viggo Mortensen as Richard Stanton
Colin Farrell as John Volanthen
Joel Edgerton as Richard Harris
Tom Bateman as Chris Jewell
Pattarakorn Tangsupakul as Buahom
Sukollawat Kanarot as Saman Kunan
Teerapat Sajakul as Captain Arnont
Sahajak Boonthanakit as Governor Narongsak Osatanakorn
Vithaya Pansringarm as General Anupong Paochinda
Teeradon Supapunpinyo as Ekkaphon Chanthawong
Nophand Boonyai as Thanet Natisri
Thira Chutikul as Kiat
Popetorn Soonthornyanakij as Kan
Paul Gleeson as Jason Mallinson
Lewis Fitz-Gerald as Vernon Unsworth
Peter Knight as Police Captain Bas
U Gambira as Kruba Boonchum
Josh Helman as Major Hodges
Natvara Hongsuwan as Preeya

Production

File:Ron Howard 2011 Shankbone.JPG]]

It was announced in April 2020 that Ron Howard was to direct the film, with William Nicholson writing the screenplay.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/ron-howard-thailand-cave-rescue-thirteen-lives-william-nicholson-script-1202922362/|title=Town Hot For Ron Howard-Directed Thai Cave Rescue Drama 'Thirteen Lives;' William Nicholson Script|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=April 30, 2020|access-date=August 5, 2022|archive-date=July 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713210154/https://deadline.com/2020/04/ron-howard-thailand-cave-rescue-thirteen-lives-william-nicholson-script-1202922362/|url-status=live}} Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired the rights to the film the following month.{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=2020-05-04 |title=MGM Wins Auction For 'Thirteen Lives,' Ron Howard-Directed Thriller About Thai Cave Rescue |url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/mgm-wins-thirteen-lives-ron-howard-thai-cave-rescue-thriller-1202925064/ |access-date= |website=Deadline Hollywood |language=en-US |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322172753/https://deadline.com/2020/05/mgm-wins-thirteen-lives-ron-howard-thai-cave-rescue-thriller-1202925064/ |url-status=live }} In March 2021, Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton were among the cast announced to star in the film.{{cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=May 4, 2020 |title=Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton Head Ensemble Of Ron Howard-Directed MGM Thai Cave Rescue Pic 'Thirteen Lives' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/viggo-mortensen-colin-farrell-joel-edgerton-ron-howard-thai-cave-rescue-movie-mgm-thirteen-lives-bron-imagine-1234712218/ |access-date=August 5, 2022 |work=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=March 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312033010/https://deadline.com/2021/03/viggo-mortensen-colin-farrell-joel-edgerton-ron-howard-thai-cave-rescue-movie-mgm-thirteen-lives-bron-imagine-1234712218/ |url-status=live }} Filming began on March 29, 2021, mostly done in Queensland with the support of Queensland and Gold Coast governments. Scenes depicting Chiang Rai Province were shot at lush tropical tree-lined roads, hotels and golf courses across Mudgeeraba, Yatala, Numinbah Valley and Carrara in Queensland. Two warehouses in Yatala were sourced for the production offices, as well as the construction of a custom-built water tank and cave interiors. The hospital scene was filmed at Griffith University Logan Campus.{{Cite news|title=THIRTEEN LIVES: SET IN THAILAND, FILMED IN QUEENSLAND|date=2022-07-13|work=ausfilm|url=https://www.ausfilm.com.au/news/thirteen-lives-set-in-thailand-filmed-in-queensland/}}

The film's original score was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch.{{cite web|url=http://filmmusicreporter.com/2021/12/19/benjamin-wallfisch-scoring-ron-howards-thirteen-lives/|title=Benjamin Wallfisch Scoring Ron Howard's 'Thirteen Lives'|website=filmmusicreporter.com|date=December 19, 2021|access-date=December 20, 2021|archive-date=December 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219213147/http://filmmusicreporter.com/2021/12/19/benjamin-wallfisch-scoring-ron-howards-thirteen-lives/|url-status=live}} When Howard approached his usual collaborator Hans Zimmer for the score, the latter strongly recommended his protégé Benjamin Wallfisch for the job.{{cite web | url=https://www.goldderby.com/feature/benjamin-wallfisch-thirteen-lives-composer-video-interview-1205148715/ | title='Thirteen Lives' composer Benjamin Wallfisch on the biggest challenge in scoring the Ron Howard drama [Exclusive Video Interview] | date=November 21, 2022 }} Wallfisch had a 20-minute suite ready before Howard had started shooting in Thailand.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Release

Thirteen Lives was released by United Artists Releasing in select theaters in the United States on July 29, 2022, before streaming on Amazon Prime Video on August 5.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/thirteen-lives-trailer-ron-howard-thai-cave-rescue-1235304489/|title=Ron Howard's 'Thirteen Lives' First Trailer Reveals the Dangers of the Thai Cave Rescue|work=Variety|first1=Wilson|last1=Chapman|first2=Angelique|last2=Jackson|date=June 28, 2022|access-date=June 28, 2022|archive-date=July 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714101706/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/thirteen-lives-trailer-ron-howard-thai-cave-rescue-1235304489/|url-status=live}} The film was originally scheduled for a fully theatrical release by United Artists Releasing on April 15, 2022,{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/657632/thirteen-lives-release-date-cast-and-more/|title=Thirteen Lives: Release Date, Cast, And More|work=/Film|first=Jeremy|last=Mathai|date=November 10, 2021|access-date=January 4, 2022|archive-date=November 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110220803/https://www.slashfilm.com/657632/thirteen-lives-release-date-cast-and-more/|url-status=live}} and was then postponed to November 18 (to contend during awards season) in response to the best test scores in MGM's history.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/thirteen-lives-ron-howard-movie-release-date-change-1234918837/|title='Thirteen Lives': Ron Howard MGM Movie Heads to Awards Season After Record Test Scores for Studio|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=24 January 2022|access-date=August 5, 2022|archive-date=March 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304011628/https://deadline.com/2022/01/thirteen-lives-ron-howard-movie-release-date-change-1234918837/|url-status=live}} In May 2022, however, the film was brought to its current release date due to Amazon's acquisition of MGM in March.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/ron-howard-thirteen-lives-amazon-prime-video-1235268658/|title=Ron Howard's Thirteen Lives Moves to August, Pivots to Hybrid Release via MGM and Amazon (Exclusive)|date=May 16, 2022|first=Angelique|last=Jackson|website=Variety|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=June 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619131002/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/ron-howard-thirteen-lives-amazon-prime-video-1235268658/|url-status=live}} Mortensen criticized the decision, given the film was considered an awards contender, and said, "I think Amazon could certainly have respected the deal, as they said they were going to, and released it widely in theaters and let it have its run. But they figured it would be more cost-effective if they didn't have to bother with spending money on promoting it and putting in theaters, and sharing that money with theaters, frankly. That's what it comes down to. To me, it's greed."{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/viggo-mortensen-little-gold-men-awards-insider|url-access=limited|title=Viggo Mortensen Speaks His Mind: On Amazon's 'Shameful' Decision, Green Book{{'}}s 'Disingenuous' Critics, and Indie Film's Unclear Future|date=July 16, 2024|first=David|last=Canfield|website=Vanity Fair|access-date=July 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716135445/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/viggo-mortensen-little-gold-men-awards-insider|archive-date=July 16, 2024|url-status=live}}

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 86% based on 178 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads, "Steadily helmed by director Ron Howard, Thirteen Lives offers an incomplete but still gripping dramatization of an incredible true story."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thirteen_lives|title=Thirteen Lives (2022)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=August 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807111901/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thirteen_lives|url-status=live}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/thirteen-lives|title=Thirteen Lives Reviews|website=Metacritic|access-date=August 15, 2022|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801172701/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/thirteen-lives|url-status=live}}

Accolades

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" style="width:20%;"\| Award ! scope="col" style="width:15%;"\| Date of ceremony ! scope="col" style="width:25%;"\| Category ! scope="col" style="width:35%;"\| Recipient(s) ! scope="col" style="width:5%;"\| Result ! scope="col" style="width:5%;" class="unsortable" \|{{Abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row" rowspan="1" \|London Film Critics' Circle \|rowspan="1" \| February 5, 2023 \| British Actor of the Year \| Colin Farrell{{efn\|Also for After Yang, The Banshees of Inisherin and The Batman}} \| {{Nominated}} \| align="center" rowspan="1"\|{{cite web \|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/london-critics-circle-awards-nominations-2023-1235285968/ \|title='Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Aftersun' Top London Critics' Circle Nominations \|first=Alex \|last=Ritman \|work=The Hollywood Reporter \|date=21 December 2022 \|access-date=22 December 2022}}
scope="row" rowspan="1" \|San Diego Film Critics Society \|rowspan="1" \| January 6, 2023 \| Best Cinematography \| Sayombhu Mukdeeprom \| {{Nominated}} \| align="center" rowspan="1"\|[https://awardswatch.com/2022-san-diego-film-critics-society-nominations/ 2022 San Diego Film Critics Society nominations]
scope="row" rowspan="1" \|Visual Effects Society \|rowspan="1" \| February 15, 2023 \| Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature \| Jason Billington, Thomas Horton, Denis Baudin, Michael Harrison, Brian Cox \| {{won}} \| align="center" rowspan="1"\|[https://deadline.com/2023/01/ves-awards-nominations-2023-list-avatar-the-way-of-water-record-14-vfx-nominations-1235224158/ VES Awards Nominations: ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Smashes Records With 14 Noms From Visual Effects Society]{{cite web\|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/ves-awards-2023-winners-list-1235261199/\|title='Avatar: The Way Of Water' Dominates VES Awards With Nine Wins; Three For 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio' – Full List\|work=Deadline\|first=Erik\|last=Pederson\|date=February 15, 2023\|accessdate=February 16, 2023}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" style="width:20%;"| Award

! scope="col" style="width:15%;"| Date of ceremony

! scope="col" style="width:25%;"| Category

! scope="col" style="width:35%;"| Recipient(s)

! scope="col" style="width:5%;"| Result

! scope="col" style="width:5%;" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row" rowspan="1" |London Film Critics' Circle

|rowspan="1" | February 5, 2023

| British Actor of the Year

| Colin Farrell{{efn|Also for After Yang, The Banshees of Inisherin and The Batman}}

| {{Nominated}}

| align="center" rowspan="1"|{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/london-critics-circle-awards-nominations-2023-1235285968/ |title='Banshees of Inisherin,' 'Aftersun' Top London Critics' Circle Nominations |first=Alex |last=Ritman |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=21 December 2022 |access-date=22 December 2022}}

scope="row" rowspan="1" |San Diego Film Critics Society

|rowspan="1" | January 6, 2023

| Best Cinematography

| Sayombhu Mukdeeprom

| {{Nominated}}

| align="center" rowspan="1"|[https://awardswatch.com/2022-san-diego-film-critics-society-nominations/ 2022 San Diego Film Critics Society nominations]

scope="row" rowspan="1" |Visual Effects Society

|rowspan="1" | February 15, 2023

| Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

| Jason Billington, Thomas Horton, Denis Baudin, Michael Harrison, Brian Cox

| {{won}}

| align="center" rowspan="1"|[https://deadline.com/2023/01/ves-awards-nominations-2023-list-avatar-the-way-of-water-record-14-vfx-nominations-1235224158/ VES Awards Nominations: ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Smashes Records With 14 Noms From Visual Effects Society]{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/ves-awards-2023-winners-list-1235261199/|title='Avatar: The Way Of Water' Dominates VES Awards With Nine Wins; Three For 'Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio' – Full List|work=Deadline|first=Erik|last=Pederson|date=February 15, 2023|accessdate=February 16, 2023}}