For fans of high-stakes adventures, Jennifer Peedom's latest documentary Deeper offers a thrilling glimpse into the world of extreme cave diving. The film follows a team of divers, including Richard Harris, one of the heroes of the Thailand cave rescue, as they embark on an expedition to explore New Zealand's Pearse Resurgence cave system.
While Deeper is undoubtedly entertaining and well-made, it falls short of truly capturing the essence of what drives these brave individuals to take on such daunting challenges. Harris himself describes himself as "definitely not a brave man," emphasizing that this isn't about recklessness or a desire for thrills – but rather a profound sense of purpose.
The team's goal is ambitious: using hydrogen as a breathing gas, they aim to push the boundaries of what's thought possible in deep diving. This decision leads to a dramatic and perilous journey, which serves as the film's emotional core. However, without revealing too much, it's impossible not to feel a sense of disappointment that we're never shown anything truly catastrophic or heart-stopping.
One of the main issues with Deeper is its lack of oomph – a term I'll use to describe the visceral thrill and tension that usually accompanies high-risk endeavors. This isn't due to any fault of Peedom's; she's a classy documentarian who avoids manufacturing drama for narrative convenience. Instead, it's simply that deep diving itself isn't visually electrifying in the same way as climbing Everest or navigating treacherous mountains.
The film's spatial focus is indeed an interesting reversal – instead of pointing upwards towards the clouds, Deeper descends into the depths of the Earth's crust. While there are some stunning drone shots of New Zealand's wilderness, much of the film is spent in the dark confines of a cave, where visual excitement is limited.
Still, Deeper remains a compelling watch, particularly for those who find themselves enthralled by tales of adventure and risk-taking. Even if it doesn't shatter expectations or push boundaries, the film offers an intriguing look into a world that's both fascinating and terrifying. As Harris says in one interview, "This is it, the moment of truth." While we don't get to experience the full force of this tension on screen, it's undeniable that Deeper captures a sense of adventure – and for many viewers, that's all that matters.
As Deeper hits Australian cinemas from October 30th, fans of Peedom's previous work will undoubtedly be eager to dive in (pun intended). Whether or not the film resonates with outsiders remains to be seen, but one thing's certain: this is a story about courage, camaraderie, and the unrelenting pursuit of human potential.
While Deeper is undoubtedly entertaining and well-made, it falls short of truly capturing the essence of what drives these brave individuals to take on such daunting challenges. Harris himself describes himself as "definitely not a brave man," emphasizing that this isn't about recklessness or a desire for thrills – but rather a profound sense of purpose.
The team's goal is ambitious: using hydrogen as a breathing gas, they aim to push the boundaries of what's thought possible in deep diving. This decision leads to a dramatic and perilous journey, which serves as the film's emotional core. However, without revealing too much, it's impossible not to feel a sense of disappointment that we're never shown anything truly catastrophic or heart-stopping.
One of the main issues with Deeper is its lack of oomph – a term I'll use to describe the visceral thrill and tension that usually accompanies high-risk endeavors. This isn't due to any fault of Peedom's; she's a classy documentarian who avoids manufacturing drama for narrative convenience. Instead, it's simply that deep diving itself isn't visually electrifying in the same way as climbing Everest or navigating treacherous mountains.
The film's spatial focus is indeed an interesting reversal – instead of pointing upwards towards the clouds, Deeper descends into the depths of the Earth's crust. While there are some stunning drone shots of New Zealand's wilderness, much of the film is spent in the dark confines of a cave, where visual excitement is limited.
Still, Deeper remains a compelling watch, particularly for those who find themselves enthralled by tales of adventure and risk-taking. Even if it doesn't shatter expectations or push boundaries, the film offers an intriguing look into a world that's both fascinating and terrifying. As Harris says in one interview, "This is it, the moment of truth." While we don't get to experience the full force of this tension on screen, it's undeniable that Deeper captures a sense of adventure – and for many viewers, that's all that matters.
As Deeper hits Australian cinemas from October 30th, fans of Peedom's previous work will undoubtedly be eager to dive in (pun intended). Whether or not the film resonates with outsiders remains to be seen, but one thing's certain: this is a story about courage, camaraderie, and the unrelenting pursuit of human potential.
. Don't get me wrong, Jennifer Peedom's a talented docu-maker, but this film feels kinda... tame. I mean, where's the heart-pumping action? The team's goal sounds crazy ambitious, but the payoff's just so... understated. The lack of oomph is really noticeable - it's like they're trying to be classy and subtle instead of, you know, thrilling us outta our seats 
.
. I mean, we spend most of the film stuck in dark caves, just chillin' with nothing much happening... it's like watching paint dry 
. Don't get me wrong, there are some sick drone shots of New Zealand's wilderness, but they can't make up for the overall lackluster experience.
. It's all about courage and human potential, which is pretty cool 
. Just don't expect it to blow your mind or anything 
. If you're a fan of Peedom or just wanna check out some crazy cave diving vids, Deeper might be worth a watch... but for the love of adventure, folks, bring the heat 
!
still gonna check it out tho, curious to see how Peedom captures this crazy world 
But for me, it's a bit of a snooze fest 
. The stats don't lie: 75% of documentaries about extreme sports can be summed up as "thrilling" but lack substance 
. And Deeper is no exception.
. But when it comes to high-stakes adventure flicks, I need more... like at least 4x the number of close calls and near-misses 
still wud watch 4 the docs on the cave diving lol 
& thats so true about harris, courage isnt about bein brave its about doin wht needs 2 b done 
gotta check it out 
The team's dedication to their goal is truly admirable, and it's amazing to see how they're using science to overcome challenges. I also loved the behind-the-scenes stuff - getting a glimpse into the lives of these thrill-seekers was really fascinating.
Still, I do wish we'd gotten a bit more excitement out of the film... but overall, it was still an awesome watch! 
. She wanted to tell the story of these divers and their purpose, and I think she succeeded in that regard 
. It's not a blockbuster action film, but it’s still an inspiring watch, you know? 