Hope That Drifts into Disappointment

Joe Carnahan’s Not Without Hope attempts to bring to the screen the agonising true story of four friends — Nick Schuyler, Will Bleakley, Marquis Cooper, and Corey Smith — who faced a terrifying fight for survival after their fishing boat capsized 70 miles off the Florida coast. 

While the real-life events are inherently dramatic and tragic, the film ultimately struggles to translate this profound human ordeal into a compelling cinematic experience, leaving viewers adrift in a sea of superficiality.

The film’s initial plunge into the crisis is handled with a commendable urgency. The sudden capsizing of the boat and the immediate, desperate struggle for survival of the four friends offer a visceral, shocking opening that hints at the harrowing journey to come. This visceral introduction effectively establishes the dire stakes and the overwhelming sense of isolation facing the men as they find themselves at the mercy of the vast, unforgiving ocean. 

For a fleeting moment, the film promises a gripping and immersive survival narrative.

However, Not Without Hope quickly veers off course, transforming what should be a deeply psychological and emotional descent into a surprisingly detached account of physical endurance. The relentless battle against hypothermia, dehydration, and the impending “storm of the century” becomes less about the characters’ internal struggle and more about a methodical checklist of external challenges. 

Unlike the raw, introspective grit that defined Carnahan’s earlier work, like The Grey, this film conspicuously lacks the character depth and emotional resonance necessary to truly connect the audience with the men’s plight. The prolonged sequences at sea, while visually depicting their suffering, often feel emotionally distant, failing to convey the psychological torment and shifting dynamics that such an extreme situation would undoubtedly produce. 

We observe their ordeal, but rarely do we inhabit it, leaving a significant void where empathy and profound connection should reside.

Adding to the film’s narrative struggles is its uneven treatment of the parallel storyline involving the anxious families, on land and the dedicated U.S. Coast Guard search effort led by Captain Timothy Close (Josh Duhamel). While the intention to portray the agonising wait and the tireless rescue mission is clear, these scenes often feel disjointed and underdeveloped. The transitions between the two narratives can be abrupt, undermining the emotional impact of the families’ profound distress. 

The film’s decision to heavily prioritise one character’s experience, both at sea and ashore, comes at the expense of adequately exploring the equally significant emotional journeys of the others involved. 

This singular focus dilutes the collective tragedy, preventing a comprehensive understanding of how this horrific event impacted multiple lives. 

Consequently, Not Without Hope, despite its compelling source material, ultimately feels like a missed opportunity – a harrowing true story presented with an unfortunate lack of emotional depth and narrative balance, leaving a genuinely terrifying human experience feeling disappointingly unfulfilled.

Showing in cinemas from December 5, 2025.

-Dirk Lombard Fourie