Staring Chris Evans, Ben Kingsley, Greg Kinnear, Haley Bennett & more.
The Red Sea Diving Resort film is based on a true, inspiring story that takes place in Sudan and Israel. The plot focuses on Ari (Chris Evans) who has a strong dedication to bring as many Ethiopian refugees to Jerusalem as possible. Him and his team encounter obstacles that pose immediate and serious threats to their safety, but they continue to follow through with their operation. In the midst of the action, the team is also running a resort that poses as a cover up for what they are actually doing in the middle of the Sudan desert.
Movie Talk
Unlike many people, I just recently got Netflix. I heard good things about this film, so I decided to watch it. (Plus Chris Evans is in it & so far, I have not been disappointed by any of the films he is in.)
The movie starts off by introducing the characters and their backgrounds. This introduction can seem a little slow and leave you wanting to advance into the story already. However, after progressing through the movie, all of the information given about the characters is needed to understand the complexity of the film.
Before watching this film, I knew it was based on a true story and because of that, I found it even more intriguing and worth watching. Overall, the film introduced me to a new perspective. It made me more empathetic and understanding towards people who may have a completely different mindset than I. Along the journey, Ari makes some pretty arrogant and stupid decisions, most of which I would be mad at if I was a part of his team. Yet, it is clear he is just trying to help as many people as possible. He has a good heart, is not a good listener, but his intentions are pure.
Throughout the film, the characters encounter multiple road blocks, but one of my favorite is how this team is forced to also run a “resort” while they complete their mission. Each character has their own sense of humor and adds their own touch and personality to the film.
One thing about this film that bothered me was that Ari and his friends are involved in a mission that is dangerous and none of them got injured. I think the film would have been more realistic if someone had been hurt or had to be sent home to heal. I am not sure if this aspect of the film was based on the true story, but if it was than I understand why they would have included this plot point. This scenario almost reminds me of Andrew Garfield’s character in Hacksaw Ridge. In both cases, the characters face out-of-the-ordinary situations and come out on the other end.
Highlights / What to think about:
If you decide to watch this film, I highly encourage you to think what you would do if you were in Ari’s situation. He has a desperate need to help people, it is almost ingrained in him. But over the course of helping refugees, he puts his team and friends at serious risks. What would you do if you were him? Did this film open your eyes and make you see something in a new way? Let me know if you watched this film and what you thought of it.
Watch this film: 7/10
Don’t be sad. 7 is a good rating. I really liked this film: the acting was great and the story was engaging and mind-altering. For what the story was, the movie was incredible. I just think the film could have been shorter and served the same meaning and purpose. But, I understand how the length of the film may be a device to help the audience better grasp the long journey of the characters in the movie. Obviously watching a two hour movie is nothing compared to walking miles and miles to safety, but the length of the film could illustrate how setbacks interrupted the long journey at almost ever turn.
Check out this movie on Netflix! The picture in this post is from Netflix.
Quick! Describe the film in 1 sentence! (aka sentence summary)
Ari puts the safety of his friends at risk in the effort to save hundreds, possibly thousands, of refugees on their journey to Jerusalem.
That’s it! Thanks for staying with me. Have a film you want me to watch? Leave it in the comments or send it to me on the contact page. Have a great day!
Arianna xx
Aloha Arianna 