The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave

The Trapped 13: How We Survived The Thai Cave is a 2022 documentary film directed by Pailin Wedel and produced by Netflix. It follows the Tham Luang cave rescue, a 2018 mission that saved a junior association football team from a flooded cave.

The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave
The Trapped 13: How We Survived The Thai Cave
GenreDocumentary
Based onTham Luang cave rescue
Directed byPailin Wedel
Country of originThailand
Original languagesThai
English
Production
Production locationThailand
Running time1 hour and 41 minutes
Production companyNetflix
Original release
ReleaseOctober 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)

The documentary serves as an oral history of the event told through the perspective of the 12 boys and the coach who were trapped in the cave. It also includes interviews with their parents, local officials, and the divers, as well as archival footage from various media outlets.[1]

Cast

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The documentary features interviews with six members of the team: "Tee, Titan, Tle, Adul, Mark, Mix—and their coach, Eak."[2] It also features footage of the entire team.[1][3][4]

Name (RTGS) Informal name Age Comments
Chanin WibunrungrueangTitan11
Phanumat SaengdiMix13
Duangphet PhromthepDom13Team captain.[4]
Somphong ChaiwongPong13
Mongkhon BunpiamMark13Last to be rescued.[5] Stateless.[6]
Natthawut ThakhamsongTern/Tle14Rescued in first mission.[citation needed]
Ekkarat WongsukchanBiw14
Adun Sam-onAdul14Only English-language speaker; communicated with initial rescue party.[4] Stateless.[6][7]
Prachak SuthamNote15Rescued in first mission.[8]
Phiphat PhothiNick15Rescued in first mission.[citation needed]
Phonchai KhamluangTee16Stateless.[6][7]
Phiraphat SomphiangchaiNight16–17Celebrated his birthday while in the cave.
Ekkaphon KanthawongEak25Assistant coach and former monk.[4] Stateless.[6] Ninth to be rescued.[citation needed]

Reception

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Critical response

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In John Serba's review of the documentary for Decider, he tells viewers to "Stream it." He also says: "No argument – the firsthand stories of the boys are absolutely valuable. We get a sense of the despair they felt, sure, and Wedel doesn't gloss over the harsher realities of their situations. But more so, we get a sense of their hope, and who they are as people, their personalities emerging as the documentary humanizes them and shows us the goofy young boys they inevitably, unapologetically are."[9] Aurora Amidon of Paste calls the film "a masterclass in pacing" as the director Pailin Wedel "skillfully rotates between the perspectives of the boys, their parents and the rescue divers. Through this, she crafts a well-rounded, fast-moving picture of the event."[2] She also notes that if "nothing else, Trapped 13 emphasizes that, without a doubt, the most important perspectives in the story of the Tham Luang cave rescue are those of the boys."[2]

References

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