The Deepest Breath follows the journey of Alessia, a freediving champion, and Steve, a safety diver, as they prepare to reach an exceptional but dangerous depth. The documentary is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Alessia Zecchini has always dreamed of becoming a famous free diver, just like her idol, Natalia Molchanova, who is a legend in the sport’s history. Alessia starts training at a very young age.
When she manages to descend 52 meters into the sea in a freediving competition, she gets a lot of attention. It becomes clear that she has what it takes to be a champion.
Then there is Steve. After traveling to different places in Africa, he eventually becomes a free diver in Egypt. A life-threatening incident drives Steve to become a safety diver, and he soon makes a name for himself when he risks his own life to save the life of the world champion.
Meanwhile, after reaching the age of 18, Alessia is unstoppable. She works hard to beat the world record held by Natalia Molchanova, and this is the time when she meets Steve. The two of them grow close, and he wins Alessia’s trust as a safety diver.
Finally, Alessia prepares to free dive through the perilous Blue Hole, which has claimed several lives. Natalia Molchanova is the only woman to have achieved this feat. Alessia plans to do the same, and for that, she trains with Steve.
Positives
The Deepest Breath, with its captivating underwater visuals, is a breathtaking film. The footage and the images of the divers captured in the silence of the sea will make the audience keep their eyes glued to their screens.
While the documentary brings out the beauty in the sport, it is closely linked to danger. There is an element of surrendering oneself to the sea, and this surrender might result in the loss of life. The film will keep the audience on the edge of their seats on more than one occasion.
The documentary narrates Alessia and Steve’s journey like a story that one would want to watch till the end. It is one of those documentaries that keep the audience interested till the very end.
Apart from the brilliant storytelling and visuals, the focus on Alessia and Steve’s bond as well as the competition between Alessia and Hanako Hirose get the audience invested in Alessia’s journey. They will find themselves celebrating her victories with her.
The audience gets to know Alessia and Steve through interviews with different people, including their fathers. Furthermore, the documentary includes interviews with people who were present with them during major events to explore those events in depth.
Negatives
The audience is introduced to the challenges of the sport in the most terrifying way. Divers push their boundaries and suffer blackouts that can even lead to death. The documentary depicts these blackouts onscreen for shock value. Additionally, it uses the tragic end of a person’s life to create tension and suspense.
To maintain that suspense, the documentary gets Alessia to sit for an interview only once. Before that, the audience hears the protagonist’s thoughts through the narrative voice-overs.
Verdict
The Deepest Breath is a visually appealing documentary that will make the audience feel a lot of emotions and keep them invested till the end. However, it also has visuals that might make the audience uneasy.
The Deepest Breath
Director: Laura McGann
Date Created: 2023-07-19 16:27
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