Deepwater Horizon - Review

   The disaster film, often an over exuberant mess or patriotic to a nauseating degree, comes around every once in a while to remind everyone how terrifying events like these can be. But every once in awhile a filmmaker can leave those tendencies behind and make a gripping and thrilling film about the human spirit, and that’s exactly what Deepwater Horizon provides.

   Based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, the story chronicles the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history.

   The sheer amount of tension and intensity the entire story of the disaster contains plays incredibly well for a big budget film. It serves as a tribute to those who fought to survive and a memoir for those who didn’t without any semblance of change for the sake of Hollywood. As far as the film is concerned, the reason there is some care or sympathy for the characters is the fantastic work in the first act to establish them as real human beings.

   Mark Wahlberg is so charming it’s almost unreal. As the main character here, Wahlberg is at the top of his game with chemistry with every member of the cast. It’s quite possible he could get some awards talk once the time comes. But as great as Wahlberg is, the supporting cast more than pulls their weight. Kurt Russell is so fantastic and believable as the man who runs the rig that you’d think he had worked on one his entire life. Gina Rodriguez and Dylan O’Brien give great performances as well among the many veterans of the game.

   There was little doubt that Deepwater Horizon would be a technically well-made film, but director Peter Berg is largely hit or miss with quality. The film is certainly Berg’s best in a while and it’s really a credit to how he crafted the film as a whole. The first act is super effective at establishing all the characters and once the terror begins you feel every movement with more invested than if the film picked up in the middle of it all.

   Overall, Deepwater Horizon is a surprising September film. It captures every gut wrenching moment and hard decision that these real people went through and it’s largely a credit to Berg and the cast. The film is largely better than it ever should’ve been and is certainly worth seeing.

   So what did you think of Deepwater Horizon? Have you seen it and what is the best disaster centric film you've seen? Subscribe, share, comment below and as always return to I Am Sam for weekly reviews and insight.