Here at Tom's Guide, we constantly keep tabs on what's trending on Prime Video (and all the best streaming services, for that matter), and as of right now, one movie leaps out at me that's worth talking about — and no, it's not "A Working Man," the Jason Statham action thriller that's currently occupying the top spot.
The movie in question is "Thirteen Lives," Ron Howard's 2022 claustrophobic survival drama based on the Thai cave rescue story that the world followed back in 2018 (here's a full version of the real story from CNN).
Obviously, we know this real-life story has a happy ending, but this thriller does a great job of selling the seemingly insurmountable odds — and it makes for a gripping watch.
Intrigued? Here's a little bit more info about "Thirteen Lives," including what critics had to say about the movie upon release.
What is 'Thirteen Lives' about?
Ron Howard's "Thirteen Lives" is a dramatization of the 2018 rescue of 12 boys (and their soccer coach) who were trapped inside a cave
The Wild Boars team found themselves trapped within the Tham Luang cave after an unexpected rainstorm, which flooded the cave's tunnels, and Thirteen Lives" documents the against-impossible-odds mission to rescue the team.
The "Thirteen Lives" cast includes Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman, Pattarakorn Tangsupakul, Sukollawat Kanaros, Teerapat Sajakul, Sahajak Boonthanakit, and Vithaya Pansringarm (among others).
Why you should stream 'Thirteen Lives' on Prime Video
It may play almost like a docudrama at times, but "Thirteen Lives" is a steady and thrilling account of this marvellous real-life story. Buoyed by a strong cast of talented actors who deliver workmanlike, "un-Hollywood" turns as the real-life rescuers and (of course) the drama of the real tale, "Thirteen Lives" sustains itself across its two-and-a-half-hour runtime.
"Thirteen Lives" is a tense portrayal of the efforts that went into it from all angles (not just the big-name stars). It's a movie with palpable emotions and stakes; you'll feel joy, fear, panic, and plenty of stress watching the rescue play out.
It may play almost like a docudrama at times, but "Thirteen Lives" is a steady and thrilling account of this marvellous real-life story.
It's not just me who recommends "Thirteen Lives," either: at the time of writing, the movie's sitting at an 85% critics' rating and an even higher 93% score from moviegoers on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes.
The site's critics' consensus reads: "Steadily helmed by director Ron Howard, "Thirteen Lives" offers an incomplete but still gripping dramatization of an incredible true story", while the audience says that the movie "does such an outstanding job of plunging you into a real-life rescue that it doesn't even matter if you already know how it ends."
As an example of critical opinion around the film, take Peter Bradshaw's 3/5-star review for The Guardian, which sums "Thirteen Lives" up as a "decent retelling of an amazing true-life story."
Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt pitches the movie as "a tense and methodical docudrama", adding: "the filmmaking itself ultimately comes off more procedural than soaring, but also refreshingly stripped of the cloying or sentimental: a remarkable story torn from true life, and faithfully told."
Empire's Ian Freer echoes that sentiment in his own 3-star review, writing: "For its first half, "Thirteen Lives" feels like it is treading water, waiting for its big final act. Thankfully, the second half is a riveting depiction of a daring, foolhardy, inspired rescue."
In short, if you like the idea of being caught up in this daring survival thriller, then you should stream "Thirteen Lives" on Prime Video now. But if you're not sold on "Thirteen Lives" and still need more streaming recommendations, check out our round-up of the best movies on Prime Video for more suggestions perfect for your next movie night.
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