Have you ever dreamed of accomplishing some great feat of strength, endurance, or sheer craziness that would get you in the record books? If so, this story might change your mind.
Megan (Bella Dayne – “Humans”), Lexi (Sophie Skelton – “Stalker”), Adam (Mark Strepan – “The Lair”) and Daniel (Akshay Khanna – “Andor”) have decided that they can break the world record for crossing the Atlantic – yes the ocean – in a rowboat. They plan to depart from Newfoundland, Canada and row to Ireland over 28 days. Daniel’s wealthy father has provided the state of the art rowboat complete with solar panels, desalination equipment, autopilot for maintaining course, and international communication.
What can go wrong?
Director/writer Matthew Lassalo (“Marianne”) decided to open the movie at sea with the scene of two men stretched out on the blood-stained deck of their boat, the “Valiant”. We see Megan, brandishing a wicked looking knife while cowering in the forward hatch of the boat. What has happened?
Then the scene shifts to Megan delirious in a bed on land in the Orkney Islands (Scotland), and we learn something terrible has happened, with her the only survivor. The story shifts again and we are in NewFoundland as the four prepare to take off on their quest. However, Megan finds a stranger on board. We discover it is Mike (Nick Skaugen – “14/2”), a replacement for Adam, who has had to bow out of the venture.
Losasso in his first feature direction has, along with writer Nick Skaugen (“Ghost Keeper”), given us a tale of mystery on the wide north Atlantic. While the story begins with evidence of violence aboard the Valiant, we are soon into the early hours of the adventure, told almost like a re-enacted documentary. Soon enough, however, the direction changes from the challenge of crossing the ocean in record time to the accidental (or not) mishaps that threaten the attempt.
Unfortunately, this is a boring film. The first few times we see the rowboat from above via drone camera, it is impressive: this narrow sliver of humanity lying on the bosom of the vast Atlantic. However, by the 10th time it is routine. Then, there are the characters. While they are very different, aggressive and arrogant, subordinate and quiet, jolly and outgoing, repressed and silent, the story simply doesn’t develop them. As a result we get cardboard cutouts propped on our sliver of humanity.
On top of that, the alternation between the action, or inaction, on the boat and Megan gradually regaining her strength and memory in the guesthouse on the Orkney island under the suspicious eye of a police inspector is as much confusing as clarifying.
Other films have been made in claustrophobic confines like the Valiant. “Lifeboat” comes immediately to mind. However, the elements that made that picture a classic are absent or woefully undeveloped here.
Runtime: A too long one hour and 58 minutes
Availability: In UK cinemas beginning Sept. 5, eventually on Apple and Prime VOD
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