This film is based on a true incident in 1952, when 4 Coast Guard sailors ventured out into a massive New England storm in a small boat. Their mission was to rescue 32 men who were stranded on a tanker that had literally split apart in the rough seas. The action alternates between the harrowing ride to the rescue (helmed by Chris Pine, playing a determined introvert) and the attempts to stay afloat by the tanker’s crew (led by an equally underplayed Casey Affleck). Toss in a heartfelt romance and you have all the ingredients of a classic adventure. The perilous challenge of the pummeling waves makes for formidable visuals, even though the obviously CGI source lacks a realistic edge. The personal encounters are clichéd and not especially compelling. It’s well made and sometimes bracing, but there’s an earnest formulaic feel that keeps it from being as involving as it might have been.
(3.5 / 5)