Review of Deepwater Horizon (2016) by Mike S — 08 Oct 2016

You might think this is another action disaster 'we gotta get outta here' film, with lots of explosions tearing apart cardboard characters.

However, this film, based on the 2010 BP oil spill and what the workers on the Deepwater Horizon had to go through (all be it in a bit of Hollywood style extra gloss and more bang for your buck) is a really well made film that rises above most films of its type.

The reason it does so well, is that it doesn't rush to the disaster, instead it spends a good amount of its 100 minute run time setting up its characters, demonstrating their situation and explaining how the whole operation works. Whilst the action that does eventually arrive is of Michael Bay proportions, it's restrained and gives a good sense of realism. In fact, the film almost feels like it ends the crisis too quickly and there's little superhero heroics from the crew, rather, a realistic and certainly no less heroic set of acts as the crew, in particular Mark Wahlberg scramble to get everyone out.

What the film then also does, is end in a way that most films like this don't. We get to see the emotional response of the characters to the disaster and what they experienced.

Wahlberg delivers a strong performance and doesn't outshine the rest of the cast. Kurt Russell is very good and John Malkovich is delightful as the 'villain' of the story. Malkovich's PG executive is played up in a realistic way, arrogant and pushes, but he feels he is justified in his actions and the film does show him to one of many moving parts, all heading in the wrong direction.

You won't want to stop at a BP servo for awhile after seeing this film.