ON April 20, 2010, the worst oil rig disaster in American history took place in the Gulf Of Mexico, killing 11 men and affecting the lives of hundreds more who survived, as well as their families.
For the next 87 days, oil valued at millions of dollars spilt into the sea. BP, which was ruled responsible for the man-made disaster, had to pay out billions in settlements and ocean clean-ups.
Now, six years since the disaster, Hollywood director Peter Berg recounts the harrowing tale of survival in his latest film, Deepwater Horizon. The intense film is kept buoyed by the incredible performances of its cast.
The film is no Poseidon Adventure (1972), where the characters must struggle to escape when their ocean liner capsizes at sea.
In fact, the moment Deepwater Horizon opens, the audience is already introduced to a roomful of characters, whose paths will soon become importantly intertwined.
Viewers meet Transocean chief electrician Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) and his family, including wife Felicia (Kate Hudson), before he leaves for work on the oil rig.
Once everybody’s onboard the rig, Mike meets Andrea Fleytas (Gina Rodriguez), a positioning officer who is responsible for maintaining the rig’s balance.
As the duo exchange friendly banters about cars, Mike is summoned by the supervisor Jimmy Harrell (Kurt Russell), a no-nonsense guy who puts his crew’s safety as the number one priority.
Don Vidrine (John Malkovich), one of the chiefs at BP, insists that the crew members skip the usual safety and pressure test, and orders them to start the deep-water drilling.
The decision angers Jimmy, who wants everything checked thoroughly. By ignoring the safety measure, things soon lead to insurmountable tragedy.
There’s no denying the intensity of the film, but Berg, who previously directed The Kingdom, Battleship and Lone Survivor, constructed a simple story, sparing us some of the cliched moments that we expect in this kind of film. The dialogue is brief and to the point, often delivered with technical jargon.
The first half of the film is dedicated to lots of conversation about the technical aspects of the drilling and pressure gauge tests; details that Berg puts in are admirable.
The action is impressively staged as well. The effects look terrifyingly real.
Expect plenty of CGI (computer generated imagery) work, especially towards the explosive finale.
Amid the stylish disarray, Berg is committed to keeping things plausible; after all the film is based on real life figures and the fact that we can relate to them makes the film even more inspiring.
Similar to disaster films like Titanic and Sully, the film focuses on the human side of the characters.
In this character-driven story, it acknowledges the heroic efforts, albeit a little too dramatic at times, by Mike and Andrea.
When things go bad on Deepwater Horizon, Mike is committed to “go back” for the rest of the crew members who are trapped in the engine room.
Wahlberg’s performance is consistent throughout. Watching him deliver some impressive stunt work is almost as fun as watching him in the American-British war film Lone Survivor.
As his character finally comes to terms with what has happened, the focus is on his reaction rather than the hugs-and-kisses reunion with his family.
Both Russell and Malkovich provide a contrasting view of their characters, how they see and solve problems.
Russell’s Jimmy or Mr Jimmy, as he is affectionately-known among his crew, refuses to back down even when threaten by the BP chiefs, which earns him respect from those who have come to know him.
On the other hand, Malkovich’s Don is not your typical selfish villain. The way his character is played out offers a glimpse into his equally-demanding job.
When disaster strikes, Don is genuinely shocked but his realisation comes a bit too late.
Jane The Virgin star Gina Rodriguez as Andrea makes a compelling watch as a young worker trying to offer her help in any way that she can.
Given some minor storytelling loopholes, the film is still enjoyable and impressively done. As bodies are thrown about violently and metal pipes bend under pressure, Deepwater Horizon’s best moments come not from the stunts but the rescue and tales of courage that follow.
Berg may have succeeded in telling a challenging story but the question remains: How much of it is accurate? The real Mike Williams, who is film consultant, said: “The cast and crew had captured all the elements of what happened that were important to me, other survivors, and the widows of the deceased. My biggest goal and ultimate drive that made me want to be part of this project was that we honoured these 11 men and what they did every day.”
NOW SHOWING
DEEPWATER HORIZON
Directed by Peter Berg
Starring Kurt Russell, Dylan O’Brien, Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Kate Hudson
Duration 107 minutes
Rating P13