Review of Deepwater Horizon (2016) by Mblipscomb — 15 Mar 2017

On April 11, 2010 – the offshore drilling platform Deep Water Horizon exploded and sank in a disaster and ensuing environmental tragedy that captured the imaginations of the public and tasked the skills and capabilities of the scientists and drill workers who responded to both it and its aftermath. This movie tells the story of the men and the events of that fateful day. Regarded as the greatest environmental disaster to have ever hit the United State. What kind of film is it? Deepwater Horizon is a good example of a good human interest film, following in the tradition of recent similar but also quality, cinematic offerings such as Scully and Their Finest Hours. It captures the emotion and complexity of a situation where something that was tightly controlled, rapidly escalated into a catastrophe. Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, and John Malkovich all bring to the screen the personae that they are known for: Wahlberg as a working-class, honest family man; Russell as the rugged man in charge, faced with frustration and tremendous obstacles; and (of course) Malkovich as the villain.

Minimal language and implied but not shown sex; this film positively reflects a familiar love and its attendant, interconnected affections.

In terms of criticism - the film does stereotypically capitalize on the 'evil company' and 'money-grubbing' bad guys who are seen as being responsible for the disaster trope - and this is possibly an exaggeration, as subsequent findings showed that it may have been the concrete used to finish the well that may have been possibly faulty- but that it was also gross negligence and faulty configuration of the BOP (blow-out preventer) the allowed the well to progress from serious problem to a full-scale catastrophic disaster. This may or may not have necessarily reflected, itself, a culture of indifference and lax safety/prevention efforts. It may have been a lazy, few who failed to follow through with their specific responsibities on the so-called BOP. Further research actually showed and that the pressure differential in the pipe caused heretofore unexpected warping and physical displacement which foiled the last minute effort to actually sever and seal the well. It is therefore very possible that had everything worked just as it was thought that it should have - it might still possibly have taken place. That said - the movie does address, somewhat evenhandedly, the true environmental catastrophe that ensued.

Please check our video review on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8QkE2QB_Tg or our website, Becknerandlipscomb.