Deepwater Horizon
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson
Directed by Peter Berg
It's a gripping story that’s still fresh in the minds of many. One of the worst manmade disasters of all-time unfolded in April 2010, when the semi-submersible offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded off the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in numerous casualties and severe ecological damage to the area.
Director Peter Berg reteams here with Wahlberg (they last worked together in Lone Survivor), who portrays a “family man” employee caught up in the chaos. Kate Hudson, playing his wife back home, provides effective heart and humanity, while grizzled veteran Kurt Russell delivers prophecies of doom that fall on the deaf ears of high-ranking oil executives who are more concerned with profits lost to stalled production.
The film’s first half (sometimes full of head-scratching technical jargon) builds plenty of tension, and admirably attempts to provide an accurate sequence of the harrowing events that played out. Once things go horribly awry, the sheer action – combined with a mix of top-notch pyrotechnics and well-staged stunt work (with some help in the visual-effects department) – is captivating, but Deepwater Horizon eventually succumbs to typical disaster fare, as the ensuing cacophony becomes slightly repetitive.
Despite its eventually heavy-handed approach, the movie works overall, mainly due to Wahlberg’s unwavering charisma, and Berg’s confident and earnest command of the plot.
It should be noted there is almost no reference to the horrible impact the spill had on the surrounding environment, but it’s hard for oil-covered marine birds to compete with Hollywood stars running through fire.
