A new survival thriller starring Woody Harrelson has scored remarkably well with critics, marking his best Rotten Tomatoes rating in years. Harrelson, a talented and versatile actor, initially gained fame for his role as Woody Boyd on the beloved sitcom Cheers, where he entertained audiences from season 4 until the series finale in season 11. Even before Cheers concluded, he was establishing his film career with notable performances in movies such as Doc Hollywood and White Men Can’t Jump.
Since the early ’90s, the number of Woody Harrelson films has surged, ranging from blockbusters like the Hunger Games series and the Now You See Me franchise to critically acclaimed projects that earned him multiple Oscar nominations. These include the biographical drama The People vs. Larry Flynt, the war film The Messenger, and the acclaimed Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. His newest film, Last Breath, demonstrates his ability to shine across genres and has quickly resonated with critics.
Set to release on the last day of February 2025, Last Breath stars Woody Harrelson alongside Simu Liu, portraying deep-sea divers on a desperate mission to rescue a crewmate played by Finn Cole, who becomes trapped underwater without oxygen after a tragic mishap. Although Last Breath is the significant release of its weekend, it faces tough competition from box office holdovers, including Captain America: Brave New World, The Monkey, Paddington in Peru, Dog Man, and Ne Zha 2, a Chinese animated feature that recently overtook Pixar’s Inside Out 2 as the highest-grossing animated film globally.
As of now, Rotten Tomatoes has compiled enough reviews to provide Last Breath with an official score. Presently, 24 critiques have been aggregated, resulting in a robust Fresh rating of 83% with an average score of 6.8 out of 10. This score signifies Woody Harrelson’s best performance for a non-documentary feature since 2017, when he had notable roles in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, achieving a 90% rating, and War for the Planet of the Apes, which garnered a 94% score. Below is a snapshot of Woody Harrelson’s Rotten Tomatoes scores between 2017 and 2025:
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) – 69%
- Venom (2018) – 30%
- The Highwaymen (2019) – 58%
- Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) – 68%
- Midway (2019) – 42%
- Kate (2021) – 46%
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) – 58%
- The Man from Toronto (2022) – 23%
- Triangle of Sadness (2022) – 72%
- Champions (2023) – 59%
- Suncoast (2024) – 77%
- Fly Me to the Moon (2024) – 65%
- Last Breath (2025) – 83%
While the average score of Last Breath may not be exceptional, the film has received substantial praise as a straightforward thriller. In her review for Screen Rant, Mae Abdulbaki emphasized that the movie “made me sit at the edge of my seat in anticipation.” Such commendations from critics can result in a significant impact with audiences, possibly leading to strong word-of-mouth buzz that may help the film counter projections of a lackluster debut, estimated to be below $10 million as it faces off against established titles like Captain America: Brave New World.
The excitement surrounding Last Breath showcases Woody Harrelson’s enduring appeal in the film industry, and its positive critical reception suggests that it may capture the attention of moviegoers eager for an intense and gripping cinematic experience.
