Logo What's After the Movie

Test your knowledge of Last Breath with our quiz!

Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Last Breath (2025). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.


The film begins by informing viewers about the 20,000 miles of pipeline that snake beneath the world’s oceans, maintained by saturation divers who often work in conditions that go as deep as 1,000 feet. This job is considered one of the most perilous in existence. We are introduced to the harrowing scene of an unconscious man lying at the bottom of a work station, setting the stage for the intense narrative that follows.

In Aberdeenshire, Scotland, we meet Chris Lemons, portrayed by Finn Cole, who is preparing to embark on a diving rotation in the dangerous waters of the North Sea. His fiancée, Bobby Rainsbury as Morag, is acutely aware of the job’s risks and expresses her concern for Chris. Despite her worries, he reassures her, claiming that his profession is “pretty cool.”

As Chris navigates to the harbor, he meets his diving team: longtime friend Duncan Allcock, played by Woody Harrelson, and the seasoned diver Dave Yuasa, portrayed by Simu Liu. Tensions arise when Chris discovers that Duncan is being ousted after two decades with the company, making this rotation his last.

The crew sets sail, only to confront the raging elements of a storm. While Chris and Dave go underwater to commence their task, Duncan remains in the diving bell monitoring their situation. As the tempest intensifies, the ship’s Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) fails, resulting in the vessel drifting precariously. In a frantic bid for safety, Chris and Dave race back to the diving bell, but disaster strikes when Chris’s air supply cord snaps, leaving him stranded.

Amidst the chaos, Captain Andre Jenson, skillfully played by Cliff Curtis, scrambles to devise a plan to rescue Chris while simultaneously preventing an environmental catastrophe that could arise from their drifting anchor. The crew works in unison, with efforts to restore power to the ship and regain control.

Underwater, Chris faces dire conditions as limited visibility and dwindling oxygen threaten his survival. In the fading moments of consciousness, he envisions Morag’s face as a source of strength, especially as she sends him encouraging video messages. Just as hope seems lost, a crew member identifies Chris’s location using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), revealing that he is alive but suffering badly from oxygen deprivation.

With the DPS now rebooted, Dave ventures back outside the bell to reach Chris. After grappling with the overwhelming challenges, Dave succeeds in locating and bringing Chris to safety, though Chris has endured nearly half an hour without oxygen. In a moment of shared relief, Duncan is initially concerned that Chris may not make it, but his fears dissipate when Chris miraculously speaks.

Ensuring Chris receives immediate care, he is placed in a saturation chamber for a momentous three-day decompression period, while Duncan and Dave remain at his side, providing support throughout the ordeal. On the third day, Chris is finally released from the chamber and has a heartfelt reunion with Morag, who keenly realizes the gravity of the incident without needing details. Chris assures her that his resolve to return to her kept him alive.

The film concludes with a dramatic epilogue revealing that Chris was submerged without oxygen for a staggering 29 minutes yet emerged without lasting physical or mental damage—something experts continue to find unexplainable. Three weeks later, Chris rejoins Duncan and Dave for another rotation, and the audience is treated to real-life footage of Chris’s wedding, in which Duncan is present. The final moments capture him confidently diving back into the depths, underscored by a fellow crew member’s humorous reminder to “Don’t fuck it up this time.”

Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Last Breath (2025) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.


Introduction to Saturation Diving

The film opens with text about the extensive network of 20,000 miles of pipeline beneath the world's oceans, highlighting the dangers of saturation diving. These divers work at depths of up to 1,000 feet, making it one of the most perilous occupations.

Chris Prepares for Work

In Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Chris Lemons is seen with his fiancée Morag, preparing for a diving rotation in the North Sea. Despite Morag's concerns about the risks involved, Chris reassures her, describing the job as 'pretty cool.'

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Meeting the Dive Team

Chris travels to meet his diving team, which includes his friend Duncan Allcock and the experienced Dave Yuasa. Duncan reveals that this will be his final rotation after twenty years, adding a somber tone to their expedition.

Facing the Storm

As the crew sets sail, they encounter a fierce storm that jeopardizes their mission. The ship's Dynamic Position System malfunctions, causing chaos as Chris and Dave must rush back to the safety of the diving bell.

North Sea

The Cord Snaps

During their urgent ascent, Dave realizes Chris is in danger of having his air cord severed. He instructs Chris to switch to his backup air supply, but before they can reunite, the cord snaps, leaving Chris alone and isolated.

Captain's Dilemma

Captain Andre Jenson is faced with a daunting decision: save Chris while preventing the ship’s anchor from rupturing a vital underwater pipeline. The crew struggles with the manual controls as the storm escalates.

Chris's Struggle

With limited visibility and oxygen running low, Chris battles to climb the manifold. He thinks of his fiancée Morag, whose video messages bolster his resolve as he fights to survive.

Rescue Efforts

The crew spots Chris using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and realizes he is still alive but in severe distress. Attempting to rescue him proves challenging as Chris has tied himself down to avoid being swept away.

Duncan's Concern

Duncan reflects on a past job where he had to recover bodies from a sunken ship. He expresses his fear that Chris could meet a similar fate and emphasizes the need for action to save him.

Power Restored

The ship's power is restored, allowing Dave to exit the diving bell once more to attempt a rescue. With time running out, he manages to reach Chris, who has been submerged for nearly half an hour without oxygen.

Chris's Revival

Duncan and the team work frantically to revive Chris after his recovery. Just as their hope dwindles, Chris miraculously regains consciousness, prompting cheers from the crew who feared the worst.

Decompression and Recovery

Chris is placed in a saturation chamber to undergo a three-day decompression process. Throughout this time, Duncan and Dave stay by his side, ensuring that he feels supported during his recovery.

Reunion with Morag

After his recovery, Chris reunites with Morag, choosing to share his experience in a way that does not reveal the full extent of his peril. Despite her concern, he tells her that his love for her fueled his fight to survive.

Survival Mystery

The film concludes with text explaining Chris was without oxygen for 29 minutes but miraculously suffered no lasting damage. Experts remain baffled by his survival, highlighting the extraordinary nature of his experience.

Return to Duty

Three weeks later, Chris rejoins Duncan and Dave for another rotation. Clips of his wedding are shown, capturing the support from Duncan, proving their bond has withstand the trials they faced together.

Characters

Explore all characters from Last Breath (2025). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.


Chris Lemons (Finn Cole)

Chris is a dedicated and determined saturation diver who faces life-threatening challenges while on the job. His thoughts often drift back to his fiancée, which fuels his will to survive. Throughout the film, he embodies resilience and a fighting spirit, showcasing how personal motivation can inspire one to persevere against the odds.

👨‍🚀 Diver 👫 Love

Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson)

Duncan is a seasoned diver on the brink of retirement, facing emotional upheaval as he contemplates his career's end. He serves as a mentor to Chris and is profoundly affected by the dangers of their profession. His experience and wisdom come to light during the crisis, providing a guiding hand to Chris in a life-or-death situation.

👨‍✈️ Captain 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Friendship

Dave Yuasa (Simu Liu)

Dave is an experienced and somewhat prickly diver who initially has a tense relationship with Chris. However, as they face perilous circumstances together, his character showcases bravery and a willingness to risk himself to save another, emphasizing the complexities of teamwork in life-threatening situations.

⚙️ Engineer 🚤 Diver

Andre Jenson (Cliff Curtis)

Captain Andre Jenson is the leader of the diving team, navigating the ship through tumultuous storms while trying to ensure the safety of Chris. His character is marked by decisiveness and responsibility as he makes critical decisions under pressure, striving to prevent an environmental disaster while also focusing on Chris's rescue.

🧭 Leader 🌊 Navigator

Setting

Learn where and when Last Breath (2025) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.


Time period

The story unfolds in the contemporary era when saturation diving technology is employed for underwater pipeline maintenance. This period showcases advancements in dive technology, highlighting both the perilous nature of such jobs and the human stories behind these dangerous professions.

Location

Aberdeenshire, North Sea

Aberdeenshire, located in Scotland, is known for its rugged coastline and rich maritime history. It serves as a vital hub for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, where numerous offshore operations take place, including deep-sea diving and repair of underwater pipelines.

🏴‍☠️ Adventure 🌊 Ocean

Themes

Discover the main themes in Last Breath (2025). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.


💔

Survival

The theme of survival resonates deeply throughout the film, as Chris Lemons battles life-threatening conditions to return to safety. His willpower and determination, fueled by thoughts of his fiancée, highlight the human spirit’s resilience in the face of adversity. The film poses compelling questions about how far one will go to survive, making it a gripping narrative on human tenacity.

Camaraderie

Amidst the tension, the film explores the strong bonds between the divers. The camaraderie shared amongst Chris, Duncan, and Dave solidifies their teamwork during the critical moments of the dive. Their friendship and mutual support are pivotal in facing the dangers of the deep sea, showcasing how relationships are vital to overcoming life's challenges.

Last Breath Ending Explained

Unravel the ending of Last Breath (2025) with our detailed explanation. Understand the final scenes, character fates, and unresolved questions.


In the film Last Breath, the story concludes with the remarkable survival of Chris Lemons, who was left stranded at the bottom of the North Sea after his oxygen supply failed. Despite being submerged for about 40 minutes—far beyond what should be humanly survivable—Lemons defies all expectations. As he begins losing consciousness due to the lack of oxygen, he enters a critical state where his body attempts to conserve what little oxygen remains, marking the climax of the tension. Fortunately, his colleague, Yuasa, manages to reach him just in time, bringing him up to the diving bell. The crew then performs CPR, and Lemons slowly starts breathing again after more than 25 minutes of no respiration.

An interesting aspect of the story’s ending involves the possible reasons behind Lemons’ extraordinary resilience. Some theories suggest that the combination of extremely low body temperature and the immense water pressure at such depths slowed his metabolic processes, extending his survival far beyond normal limits. In real life, as shown in the documentary from which the film is based, Lemons was able to regain consciousness almost immediately after being resuscitated, and he was in good health shortly afterward. The movie’s ending leaves viewers with a sense of awe at human resilience, emphasizing how astonishing the human body can be in extreme circumstances. It underscores how, against all odds, Lemons survived what should have been a fatal ordeal, a testament to both the unpredictability of the sea and the incredible determination of those who risk their lives diving into its depths.

Movies with Similar Twists and Themes

Uncover films that echo the narrative beats, emotional arcs, or dramatic twists of the one you're exploring. These recommendations are handpicked based on story depth, thematic resonance, and spoiler-worthy moments — perfect for fans who crave more of the same intrigue.


© 2025 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.