Deepwater Horizon (2016)

Movie about the notorious April 2010 explosion on the titular semi-submersible offshore drilling rig, whose resultant Gulf of Mexico oil spill proved the worst such disaster in U.S. history. The middle chapter in director Peter Berg's apparent 'Mark Wahlberg Does Recent Perilous Events' trilogy, after Lone Survivor and before the forth coming Patriots Day, Deepwater Horizon is a $150 million dollar cinematic indictment of BP Oil. British Petroleum comes off appropriately horrible in this, the accident could have been easily prevented had one of the worlds largest corporations spent a little more time and money to ensure operational safety.

The Deepwater Horizon disaster occurred a few days after I got out of the hospital following a prolonged stay after a major car accident, so that oil seeping up from the ocean floor for weeks upon week will forever be associated in mind as an oddly appropriate counterpoint in what would prove to be some of the worst months of my life. That being said I was surprised by how much of the story I had misremembered, I though everybody on the thing had died, when in fact all but 11 of the 126 on board surived. A straight forward, docudrama type presentation, with few flourishes, because few are needed. Sufficient to good acting all around, with John Malkovich the standout out as a short sighted oil company exec. I also quite liked Kurt Russell's casting as the wells foreman. The movie does a really good job of brining home just how giant this thing was, that burning behemoth awes on the big screen. A very well executed real life disaster film, and an interesting counter point to the recently released Sully. My disaster movie loving dad would have really appreciated this movie. ****