This is a very neat documentary drama. Some scenes are re-enacted, but they use the original (recorded) texts, because on a ships bridge everything is recorded (as are emergency calls). The film tries to be as impartial as possible, and gives room to the captain‘s defense lawyer. It‘s a pity that the company owning the ship refused to collaborate. There seems to be more amiss in the cruiser industry than a captain‘s failures.
Emotionally, this documentary drama film impressed me more than Titanic. The first-hand testimonies, the mixture of documentary material and re-enacting made a deep impression.
The re-enacting is mixed with some material passengers, investigators, and journalists had filmed. There’s even some CGI material in order to visualize the accident itself. All this is put together very skillfully.
The film uses the original languages with subtitles. As in aviation, English is the main language on the bridge. Italian and German are used quite often too. For language nerds (and Italians): Antonio di Mauro (playing captain Francesco Schettino), although his parents are of Calabrese origin, doesn’t have Schettino‘s Neapolitan accent, which sometimes sounds funny, but his acting is good.
I fully recommend this documentary, one of the best I have watched for some time (and I watch a lot of documentaries).
