Film review: 'The Finest Hours'

 "The Finest Hours" is the true story of the greatest small boat Coast Guard rescue in U.S. history. And although it sports some pretty fancy camerawork, it falls short in the acting department. 

In the winter of 1952, off the coast of Cape Cod, an oil tanker split in half during a vicious nor'easter. The surviving crew member's fate was sealed if they weren't rescued soon. A mission to do so would likely be suicidal. But duty calls.

Dedicated Coast Guard sailor, Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) is called upon to head up a crew of four and steer a tiny rescue ship into the raging storm. Aboard the torn tanker, engineer Raymond Sybert (Casey Affleck), takes charge of the vessel trying to keep it afloat until help arrives. His crew are not all in accordance with his plan of action which, incidentally, is quite brilliant.

As Webber and his men brave the deadly seas, their ship is tossed endlessly upside down as monstrous waves inhibit their maneuvers. Making matters worse, they've lost their compass in the turmoil. Odds of completing the mission, let alone surviving it are not in their favor.

Craig Gillespie ("Million Dollar Arm") directs this maritime yarn with a portent predictability. "The Finest Hours" is a film which stands in the shadows of "The Perfect Storm," never rising fully to the occasion. The back story comes off as corny. Webber's fiance (Holliday Grainger) rushes off to the Coast Guard station and begs his commanding officer (the underused Eric Bana) to cancel the mission ... over and over. It becomes tedious. The guy who could have shined in this so-so flick, Ben Foster, barely has any lines.

"The Finest Hours" does honor the brave men who risk their lives everyday in the Coast Guard and go unnoticed. There's also some wonderful archival photos that run during the credits depicting the real sailors which are worth catching. But overall, this disaster film lacks the luster it should have shone.