Deepwater Horizon review by Lisa Johnson Mandell

As Deepwater Horizon opens, you hear what sounds like someone giving testimony in court about the tragic explosion of the BP oil rig off the coast of Louisianna that resulted in the biggest man-made ecological disaster in the history of the United States. “Oh no,” I thought. “If this is like Sully, with an awful lot of courtroom talk and very little action,” I will be so disappointed.

But I should have had more faith in director Peter Berg (Lone Survivor, Friday Night Lights). His fortes are good old American heart and courage under fire. The film rapidly progresses into intros of some of the individuals who will play heroic roles in the upcoming catastrophe. An especially nice touch is Mark Wahlberg‘s daughter practicing a school presentation with a shaken up Coke can–it’s explosion portending the future.

Once all are in place on the oil rig, the good rig workers, foremost among them Wahlberg’s Mike Williams, Kurt Russell‘s Captain Jimmy and Gina Rodriguez‘s Andrea Fleytas, all based on real life individuals, are pitted against the evil British Petroleum execs, including John Malkovich, with a really annoying Louisianna accent. Kate Hudson is the stereotypical panicked wife waiting at home for news.

It’s a bit difficult to wring drama and suspense from watching gauges register pressure levels of varying degrees, but once they reach their limits, there’s no stopping the raging fire and explosions. Those do become quite relentless–after awhile I couldn’t tell what was blowing up where and which structures were being incinerated. It was a bit much, but I was just grateful I didn’t have to watch it all in 3D.

And while the resolution was touching, I wish there could have been a bit more detail about the cataclysmic damage that was caused by the massive oil spill that lasted for months. However, the film is being promoted as the story of the heroism of the brave men and women involved in saving lives, and that it does well.

Rated PG-13

One Hour 39 Minutes

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Deepwater Horizon review by Lisa Johnson Mandell