REVIEW: ‘23,000 Lives’ Delves Into Just How Hard Doing The Right Thing Can Be

23000 Lives, based on a true story, directed by Markus Goller and written by Michele Cinque and Oliver Ziegenbalg, follows a group of concerned individuals who set out to establish a charity dedicated to saving refugees from drowning as they cross the Mediterranean while fleeing to Europe. However, the group’s founder, Lukas (Louis Hofmann, Masters of the Air), will come to realize that the perils of the sea are the smallest obstacles facing his dream of helping others.

When Lukas first begins pursuing his goal of helping those escaping persecution, you know he has a hard road ahead of him. Funding his dream, dealing with life-threatening elements like pirates and the sea itself, all immediately jump to mind when considering how hard the road ahead will be. And despite how daunting all that sounds, 23000 Lives quickly shows that just trying to help those in need can quickly become infinitely harder than you ever thought possible. 

The way the story unfolds over the two-hour runtime creates an excellent rhythm of highs and lows. The initial start-up hurdles are followed by early successes as the group begins its work at sea. Setbacks occur, but they are the kind that the crew expects—not that it makes the pain any easier. 

There is a grounded presence to every moment of 23000 Lives.

However, as their mission continues, 23000 Lives quickly sees the dangers faced by the well-meaning group escalate as pirates and even governments begin to hinder the honest help the organization is trying to extend to those in need. It is here that the depths of the emotional pain and the endurance the characters must summon to power through all of this truly begin to grow. 

The breadth of opposition and the vileness it can sink to hurts every time it is shown. That people can put so much hate and effort into putting down a group that is simply trying to help people is the sort of horror you want to see as unbelievable, but we know all too well how cruel people can be. 23000 Lives does not shy away from the social ramifications of the group’s work, as harassment and threats soon come at them from all sides. 

There is a grounded presence to every moment of 23000 Lives. The pain, danger, and strain of the events depicted hit with incredible force, even though they never feel overly dramatized. As the pressure builds, we see the group’s members begin to crack, suffering from panic attacks and insomnia. The entire cast does a great job of putting their all into getting across the severity of their characters’ suffering, without making it feel unbelievable. The silence that fills many of the film’s most heartbreaking moments is deafening in its power. 

23000 Lives crafts a compelling tale of hope and perseverance.

Perhaps the most uncomfortable moments come when strife begins to form within the group itself. While everyone wants to help, they all see the problems before them and what the path forward should be differently. Always prioritizing the part of the situation they personally face, they frequently downplay the struggles of others, even though their work is just as critical. The captain of the rescue boat can rage about not being allowed to ignore government requests for the sake of public perceptions, but without funding, fueled largely by said perceptions, they don’t have a boat at all. 

All of the pain and drama of 23000 Lives serve to elevate the triumphs all the more. Despite the hardships frequently seeming to outweigh the victories, the movie does a great job of presenting why Lukas and his crew continue to fight for their cause. Seeing the lives they save flourish reinforces the righteousness of their cause. Despite taking up significantly less of the film’s time, the moments of hope and promise shine brighter for knowing the hardship and pain that it took to make them possible. 

23000 Lives crafts a compelling tale of hope and perseverance. While its final message is an uplifting one, the narrative never hesitates to explore just how much pain and sorrow were endured to reach its final conclusion. 

23,000 Lives is streaming now on Netflix.