Netflix’s latest movie has hit its streaming service. Based on a true story, The Red Sea Diving Resort is about a group of Israeli Mossad agents and a group of Ethiopians who help smuggle out Ethiopian-Jewish refugees in the early 1980s. The way that these two groups are able to accomplish this mission is by creating a hotel front in Sudan and leaving by sea.
The Red Sea Diving Resort stars Chris Evans, Michael K. Williams, Haley Bennett, Michiel Huisman, Alessandro Nivola, Greg Kinnear, and Ben Kingsley. Right away, you can see Evans’ Avengers: Infinity War beard and hair, but while he is the main star of the movie, the film really does not focus tremendously on him. In a way, it doesn’t really focus on those that it should, the Ethiopian-Jewish refugees.
The Negatives
At times, The Red Sea Diving Resort feels like two different films. We have the main plot at hand, which is the seriousness of the Jewish population in Ethiopia who are trying to get to Jerusalem. We then have the almost upbeat and montage heavy dilemma of the fake resort becoming a real one. Chris Evan’s Ari Johnson must put together a team in an all too familiar sequence and the group is forced to put together a running hotel to maintain their ruse.
In the beginning, especially, it’s very noticeable that there is bad acting afoot. Which, is very surprising. Evans is a great actor, so I’m not sure why his part in this movie frequently felt off. There were scenes that didn’t hit the mark and moments that felt forced. The movie needed to focus more on the rescue mission of the refugees. Not the resort. Yes, I know that is what the movie’s title is based around, but it wasn’t the story that should have been told. There were Jewish refugees dying while the agents were tanning and teaching diving lessons to tourists.
The movie does rely a bit on the ‘white savior’ trope as well. Amplified by focusing too much on Evans and his group of Israeli agents. Williams’ acting and story was compelling, but we only got a small glimpse of his side of the tale.
Insignificant Con: Evans was not naked nearly as much as the gifs made it seem.
The Positives
I mentioned that Williams’ Kebede was uplifting and hopeful. Kebede never stopped trying to help his people, even if it put him in danger. Even if it meant sacrificing his own wellbeing and happiness. Ultimately, I felt The Red Sea Diving Resort was a story of loving your brothers and sisters. That there is a bond you can have even when you come from different places. That no matter where you come from, you should help those who are in need. We see the issue of refugees even today and this movie shows this group of people helping refugees without hesitation.
Kingsley, in the few scenes he was in; seemed very comfortable in his character’s shoes. It was the kind of ease that I had hoped for Evans and as a fan of the actor even outside of Marvel, I know he can do better. I truly feel that it was the script and his lines that made his character fall flat to me. And that is a way that I never want to feel about Evans!
I also have to highlight Chris Chalk’s Colonel Abdel Ahmed. The leader of a Sudanese military group, Ahmed was terrifying. His character was rich with personality and really helped to create this necessary tension in the scenes that he was in. The most heart-pounding, gut-wrenching scenes involved him in them and Chalk really commanded the screen every time he showed up.
With a slow, almost awkward start to the film, The Red Sea Diving Resort did pick up towards the end. Once the film went back to the real plot at hand, it did well in accomplishing its message.
I would give The Red Sea Diving Resort a 6 out of 10. Let me know what you thought about this film!
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
