REVIEW ON THE SERIES ‘THAI CAVE RESCUE’

 TITLE:  REVIEW ON THE SERIES ‘THAI CAVE RESCUE’

REVIEWED BY:

SNEYA GABREATE.S

2022506062

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

The heart-pounding adventure of the 2018 Tham Luang Cave rescue in "Thai Cave Rescue," a six-part series directed by Kevin Tancharoen and Nattawut Poonpiriya, was released on September 22, 2022. This gripping story captures the world's attention with its tale of bravery and survival against all odds.

EPISODE 1 

THE LEGEND OF THAM LUANG

The director begins the documentary by showing a glimpse of each child's lifestyle, including their relationship with the other characters. The intimacy among the other characters in the football team "Wild Boars" as a whole makes the series more affecting. It also gives the viewers a sneak peek of how a typical Thai neighborhood would be and what to expect from them. The children's excitement to go to the cave after the match serves as a good introduction to the documentary. Then the scenes involving a brief explanation of the challenge they are about to face because of their climatic conditions and the geological location of the Nang Non Mountains provide a clear context on the situation.

EPISODE 2

TO NOT OFFEND THE GODS

The panic and chaos arising from the children's parents are well portrayed in the second part. The scenes showing the regret felt as they sent their children to the cave, show their parental love and agony towards the misfortune that befell them because of the rain. This showcase of emotions helps the viewers to connect with the film better. In addition to this, the director has shown the initial efforts taken by the governor and the rescue team even though things were not looking up, and the likelihood of survival was extremely slim. 

The dire condition of the boys due to the lack of basic necessities was highlighted. The authentic Thai culture is hinted from time to time with subtle nuances, especially in the interaction between Mark's mother and the governor as they converse about their belief and in the sneak peeks of Coach Eak's childhood monastery experience. Throughout the course of the series, appropriate foley sounds have been used, which helps the viewers to engage with the scenes better. The cave set used is realistic, and the art team has captured even the minute details of the cave with the firsthand knowledge they gleaned from the actual Tham Luang cave.

EAK’S MONASTERY EXPERIENCE

EPISODE 3

THE PRINCESS CHALICE

The third episode turned out to be an emotional rollercoaster. The importance of mental health in such a dire situation and how the team tries to uplift the boys' mood is shown pretty well. The very same efforts became fatal to Dom as a sense of not being loved by anyone washes over him as he didn't get a letter from his family, which was played pretty well by the child actor. 

Similarly, I love how Phim and Kelly's insignificance is first mentioned in the beginning of the episode, but in the latter part, the director points out how they were the ones who saved the mission with their continuous efforts when every other method fell apart. This teaches the viewers to never underestimate anyone's ability. All the equipment and helicopters used for the rescue adds depth and helps the viewers to visualize how hard the rescue actually was.

CULTURAL TAPESTRY OF THAILAND

EPISODE 4

LUCKY BAHT

I like how the appropriate music has been applied to evoke one's emotions throughout episode 4, like a fun music to show the boy's goofiness, a music of hope when the farmers agree to sacrifice their crops to help with the rescue followed by the soft sad music to show their loss. They all have been coordinated in a beautiful way. The visual metaphor of comparing the sinking coin to drowning Sam in his final moments was devastating. Throughout the episode, there were some glimpses of Sam's personal life which makes the scene weigh heavily in the series.

VISUAL METAPHOR : SINKING FATE

Comparing Ja Sam's demise to the sinking of a coin of fortune in the darkness of the cave's depths 

EPISODE 5

THE PARABLE OF KISA GOTAMI

I appreciate how even the smallest details are kept in mind in the making of the film, such as the props depicting the topographical details of the cave, the uniforms adorned with respective symbols and flags, and the inclusion of Thai foods. The frequently used representation of the cave structure plays a major role in the rescue and makes the statistics easier to explain.

 I appreciate the director for not abruptly leaving out the character Ja Sam, whose sacrifice led to some important turns of events in the rescue. They continued to mention how the entire nation grieved the loss of the experienced and impeccable navy SEAL, which proceeded to the point of paying final respects while his casket was being taken away.

EPISODE 6

MOO PA

Against all odds, the day has come for the rescue divers to finally extract the boys from the cave with the world watching in anticipation. The 18-day rescue series ended on a positive note with 0 fatalities in the finale as the team successfully rescued all of them. The severity of the currents, the flooding of the cave,  and the difficulty in rescuing each one of them were depicted vividly in this episode.

THE FINAL MIRACULOUS RESCUE

CONCLUSION

I personally think the thing that made the series good is the constant revelation of what was actually at stake and what challenges they faced in each and every turn. As someone who is watching this series with little to zero knowledge about caves and rescues, the series proved to be pretty interesting as well as informative.

An aspect that could be further developed is the rescue's aftermath, including its impact on the boys, their families, and the rescuers, would enrich the narrative. Additionally, examining broader societal implications, like changes in safety regulations and responses to similar incidents, could deepen understanding of the rescue's long-term effects.