Parents' Guide to The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave

Movie NR 2022 101 minutes
The Trapped 13 - How We Survived the Thai Cave movie poster: Four Thai boys sleep on a cave floor with a focus on their faces.

Common Sense Media Review

Tom Cassidy By Tom Cassidy , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Harrowing but inspirational docu about a real-life rescue.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

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Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

Documentary THE TRAPPED 13: HOW WE SURVIVED THE THAI CAVE, tells the incredible true story of a young Thai football team who were trapped underground in a cave for 18 days in 2018. The remarkable story and rescue are shown through reenactments, interviews, and real-life footage.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

Even those familiar with this incredible news story from 2018 will still find their pulses racing. From the boys' survival, to the unbelievable rescue plan, to then being found, Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave is a gripping watch. It starts off with interviews with the boys and dramatizations of their day playing soccer before going to the cave. Once in, the drama ramps up as they are soon trapped by rising water and forced to make their way deeper into the caves. Animated diagrams help to get across their perilous journey and why it was so difficult to find and rescue them. By the time they are found, the real-life footage of them is equally heart-breaking and joyous. But that's only half the story. The planning and execution of their rescue is nothing short of incredible and the true story is a triumph of human kindness and perseverance.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what the boys in The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave went through. What character strengths did they have to show to come through their ordeal?

  • Did you find the film inspirational? Who inspired you the most?

  • How did this film compare to other documentaries you've seen? What makes a good documentary? Why are they an important form of filmmaking?

Movie Details

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The Trapped 13 - How We Survived the Thai Cave movie poster: Four Thai boys sleep on a cave floor with a focus on their faces.

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