My Review:
I remember hearing about this story several years ago in the news. I cannot imagine being trapped underground in a cave, upside down and unable to move. That would be awful! Consequently, some of this movie is difficult to watch. You know what is going to happen and so you find yourself yelling at the tv (I watched it on DVD), telling him to stop. It doesn’t work, unfortunately, he gets trapped. The story of John and his wife is so sweet and touching. It’s a little cheesy in parts, but it’s a good love story, what do you expect? And then comes the part about the rescuers and their attempts to help John. There’s no cheese there, only hard work and dedication. I’ve been in a couple of caves in my life, but they’re just the big ones with stalagmites and stalagtites, and they have tour guides that walk you through. I’m definitely not adventurous enough to go into the really crazy caves! And this movie definitely doesn’t change my mind! The acting is well done, I thought. John’s character did a really good job. Like I said, there may be a few cheesy parts here and there, but overall it is well done. The story flows well and just pulls you in. There are some really good morals and lessons in this story. I love how John expresses the importance of family and faith. Definitely take your kleenexes! I’d say 3.5/5 stars.
Rating: PG (There’s no profanity or “intimacy,” except for some brief kissing. There isn’t any violence either, but the man is stuck upside down in a cave for over 24 hours, and it’s difficult to watch him suffer.)
Recommendation: 13 years-old and up. I know my 11 year-old daughter would not want to watch this movie, and I wouldn’t want her to. I’d be fine with my 13 and 15 year-old sons watching it. I know it says it’s PG, not PG-13, but it’s quite deep and a little too much for those younger kids.
Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this DVD in exchange for my honest review.