Deepwater Horizon

Rating: 7/10 (11 June 2017)

I remember seeing the short trailer for this film, I remembered the leading actor and that it was about an oil rig spillage and explosion, the real events that made the news in 2010 didn't even cross my mind at the mind, knowing this made it all the more worth watching, directed by Peter Berg (Welcome to the Jungle, Battleship, Lone Survivor). Basically on 20 April 2010, on oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, operated by private contractor Transocean, the workers begin drilling off the southern coast of Louisiana on behalf of BP (British Petroleum). Chief Electronics Technician Michael "Mike" Williams (Mark Wahlberg) and rig supervisor James "Jimmy" Harrell (Kurt Russell) are surprised that BP managers Donald Vidrine (John Malkovich) and Robert Kaluza (Brad Leland) have insisted that workers assigned to pump the cement, intended to keep the well stable, are being sent home early, without conducting a pressure test. While Mike prepares the drilling team, including Caleb Holloway (The Maze Runner's Dylan O'Brien), Jimmy meets with Vidrine and persuades him to conduct a test, but cement has already been poorly placed, this will only serve to weaken it more, but Vidrine is impatient waiting for Jimmy to confirm the results, he orders the well to be flowed. Initially the operation goes smoothly, but the cement job eventually fails completely, triggering a massive oil blowout, that overpowers and kills six workers. The oil is ignited by a chain of equipment malfunctions and a failed attempt to seal the well, five more workers, including Jason Anderson (My Name Is Earl's Ethan Suplee), are killed. The rig's navigation officer, Andrea Fleytas (Gina Rodriguez), tries to alert the Coast Guard, but she is overruled by her superior, Captain Curt Kuchta (Dave Maldonado), on the grounds that the rig is not in any imminent danger. Oil spews out into the ocean, a frightened, oil covered pelican flies into the bridge of a nearby vessel, the workers begin a frantic evacuation, Jimmy is still alive, but was seriously injured in the explosion, Mike rescues Jimmy and he takes control of the situation, but the rig cannot be saved. Aaron Dale Burkeen (Jason Kirkpatrick), a close friend of Mike's, sacrifices himself to keep a burning crane from collapsing onto the surviving crew, while Mike and Caleb rescue Vidrine and Kaluza and get them to safety. Night falls and burning oil lights up the area, the Coast Guard now aware of the incident sends a ship to pick up the survivors, with the lifeboats full, Mike locates an emergency raft, but is separated from the rig before he and Andrea can board it. The fire is burning out of control, Andrea suffers a panic attack, but she and Mike jump off the rig, just as the oil in the well is ignited and the rig is destroyed, they land in the water and are picked up by rescuers, who ferry them to supply boat the Damon Bankston. The surviving workers are reunited with their families in a hotel lobby, Mike suffers a panic attack when confronted by one of the angry killed workers' relatives, but his wife Felicia (Kate Hudson) comforts him, the film ends with clips showing the aftermath of the disaster, including the testimony of the real Mike Williams, none of Transocean or BP were prosecuted, and the eleven men that lost their lives are shown. I only heard a few things about the oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico, including the strange ways they tried to plug the gap, using things like nylon tights, golf balls, rubber tyres and human hair, before they settled on cement, but now I know the real danger and fatalities that occurred, it is shocking. Wahlberg, Russell, Malkovich and all the other stars give convincing performances as the engineers trapped on the rig that goes from spilling oil into a blazing inferno, it is actually suitable that melodrama isn't ramped up, it is very realistic, with technical dialogue, it really shows the negligence of those taking short cuts for budgetary reasons, and of course you are completely caught up in the chaos of the disaster, that ended up with 200 million gallons of oil spilling, a plausible and most intense biopic disaster drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects, and it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Sound. Very good!