UKH

If you haven’t already seen it, The Rescue is well worth catching on I-player.

It’s the Jimmy Chin film about rescuing the kids trapped in cave in Thailand.

Watched it last night... really well filmed but some issues ignored and some annoying hints of mysticism (why the rain held off?).  We all know the ending but learning just how close things were many times to many more deaths is pretty chilling.

What were those? Just curious.

I watched it on the box recently. Having been a caver who drew the line at cave diving I think the rescue was an absolute triumph of humanity overcoming almost insurmountable odds. I recall thinking at the time of the rescue that those trapped were almost certainly doomed. I'd put it up there as one of the most remarkable rescues ever made. It was so sad to hear that one of the boys died recently but at least he had more time. The mysticism element didn't worry me at all even if Rick Stanton's reaction was to say bollox. If I'd been there I'd be praying to the gods for a miracle.

Much of the politics and of course the idiotic sideshow around  a certain billionaire.

I doubt the circumstances of the exit of the last of the rescue team would have been exaggerated: it was a much closer call than it needed to be.

Seems like a good omission to me. I would hate to have seen his ludicrous attention-seeking being given any kind of recognition (even critically).

I think the documentary was a US production so, given the propensity for litigation over there, the makers probably decided it wasn't worth any potential hassle from a certain @sshole. I think the 'politics' were potentially alluded to by the divers themselves? I mean if your elite Navy divers were to be upstaged by a few middle-aged foreign 'amateurs' then it would be surprising that politics wouldn't crop up.

ETA I think the reconstructed diving scenes were filmed in Wookey Hole

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi had more than a hand in it!

I enjoyed the film. The cave divers reminded me of some high standard alpinists I have known in the way they found navigating ordinary life harder than finding their way through submerged squeezes.

Totally agree with that side. I was more concerned on how it affected the brits and their political issues in getting a go ahead for the only realistic rescue attempt.

Thanks for the recommendation, I watched it and thought it was brilliant. An incredible story well told.

The dramatisation staring Viggo Mortensen 'Thirteen Lives', is brilliant and well worth seeing too. Its on Prime Video at the moment. 

Thank you for bringing this up. It's really quite important to give the correct credit and not just choose the historically more "famous" name. 

Hear hear. In a World where the UK increasingly feels like it's heading in the wrong direction, this film felt like a beacon of hope for someone looking for something to believe in, championing as it does the amateur and unfashionable, and largely forgotten world of caving, and by extension lots of other minority pastimes requiring unique skills. As ever, a lump in my throat as I think about this. A truly incredible feat. Everyone should watch this film.

My apologies to Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. I only mentioned Jimmy Chin because a lot of people here would be familiar with his name from his work on climbing films (particularly free solo) and therefore be able to better gauge if The Rescue was something they might be interested to watch.

ECV worked on Free Solo too! To be fair his name is a lot easier to remember.

Both excellent films.

I am sure you know this but let’s emphasise….She co-directed and co-produced Free Solo.

i.e. equivalent credit to JC. 

Thanks for the head up there - really good film, just watched it. Gripping even when you know the outcome.

Steve

Just watched this. Was good.

Quite a lot of chat about the current being too strong to swim against, including after the guide rope had been put in. Anyone know why they wouldn't use jumars or similar to be able to make progress against strong currents? Even just so you don't lose contact with the rope as happened to one of them. Cavers use jumars/similar all the time, so they're an available option, but they choose not to use them. There must be a reason, anyone got any idea?

From what I've read about cave diving, physically attaching yourself to the guide line is an absolute no no due to the very real danger of entanglement. It seems to be a point of keeping it in your hand and never letting go. A case of keeping things absolutely basic to reduce the risks. I recall a drowning death in Barbondale back in the eighties when a complete beginner dived into an open resurgence with just a handheld bottle and no line. He became disoriented very quickly and died when he couldn't find his way out. The fire brigade pumped the water levels down and he was found within a few metres of the surface.

I watched it last week - absolutely brilliant.

But, like The Vanishing, it tends to have you waking up in the middle of the night to check - just in case.....

Interesting. From my position of ignorance attaching yourself to the line seems sensible!

It's a fantastic documentary film for sure, but the Viggo/Colin Farrell dramatisation is absolutely fantastic too.

There's also a 6 part series called Thai Cave Recuse too, but I've not managed to sit through that.

Fascinating story and as someone who's worst nightmare is caves/underground I cannot imagine how people think cave DIVING is ever a good idea!

They mentioned the current being so strong that it was knocking/dislodging masks and other kit which I'd imagine is a bit scary.

Yeah, I noticed that, suppose that could be what they mean by too strong to swim against, rather than actually impossible to make progress against. All sounds pretty horrible!

Thanks for the heads up. Watched it last night. Absolutely incredible stuff.

Watched it last week. absolutely brilliant. It fascinates me.

I did a bit of caving in the 90s from the Bradford Pothole Club Dump near Horton in Ribblesdale and met Jason Mallinson a few times. At that time he was pushing the sump in Alum Pot, no one would go with him because it was too gnarly apparently.

If anyone is interested have a look for the account of Jason Mallinson's solo dive into Pozo Azul in Spain in 2015. You can read it in Martin Farr's book The Darkness Beckons. How he gets out alive when his re-breather breaks down at 71m depth in a 5km long sump. Mind blowing.

E

That's a good to know, I had been avoiding it as I was worried it would annoy me after seeing the documentary etc and just knowing how Hollywood does these type of thing