This is a tense, action and explosion-packed film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Deepwater Horizon was an oil installation off the coast of Louisiana that burst into flames and resulted in the worst oil spill in US history. Several crew members died and it took months to stem the flow of oil. The oil slick also killed countless sea birds and fish as well as destroying countless Gulf Coast fishing industry livelihoods.
Mark Wahlberg plays his usual part of hero this time as the real-life hero of Deepwater Horizon, Mike Williams. But the emotions he displays are completely convincing, as is his casting as an understated, southern every-man. This is not a 'hero' movie in the conventional sense.
Kurt Russell is fantastic, as are John Malkovich and Kate Hudson. Hudson departs from her usual film roles for this movie, playing Wahlberg's southern, beer-swilling, heart of gold wife. Malkovich plays the BP executive, pushing the Russell/ Wahlberg team to get the oil flowing, safety be damned. Knowing this is based on a true story, the arrogance he and his colleagues display is breath-taking.
This is that rare movie, which could have benefitted from an extra 30 minutes of storytelling. The actors are stellar, but seem slightly under-utilised. There was much more to explore, and the audience is left wanting to know what happened after the Deepwater Horizon spill was finally stemmed.
Pictures of the real-life men and women working that night are shown in slide-show format at the end of the movie, with a brief explanation of where they are now. However, letting the movie narrative tell this story could have been more effective and less predictable.
Also, the massive, environmental impact – arguably the heart of this tragedy and the crux of the oil debate – was left largely unaddressed. One oil-drenched pelican makes an appearance, but is the only reference to the devastation the massive spill wrecked on the Gulf Coast.
'Deepwater Horizon' is a gripping movie, providing a tense example of the human cost of our current, oil-driven economy; and action fans will love it too.
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'Deepwater Horizon' releases nationally on 6 October, 2016.
