A scene from ‘Deepwater Horizon’ .
Can you imagine Hell on Earth?
Can you imagine being on the helicopter pad of an oil rig — completely engulfed by fire — and you are stuck in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico with no hope of rescue? Then, welcome to “Deepwater Horizon.”
Inspired by true events, which means you are not watching a documentary on the History Channel but a script of a biological disaster from Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand and directed by Peter Berg (“Battleship”), “Deepwater Horizon” takes you into the heart of the largest oil spill in US history.
Possibly in the entire planet.
Also known as the BP oil spill, the impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster is still having massive repercussions throughout the US Gulf states of Louisiana and Alabama as the massive oil rig, home to hundreds of BP employees, suddenly exploded in April 2010 and created the biggest man-made disaster on Earth.
Like all stories, “Deepwater Horizon” starts happily enough with Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) at home with his lovely wife Felicia (Kate Hudson), trying to explain to his 10-year-old daughter exactly what Daddy does at work all day long.
Walhberg has surrounded himself with a solid cast of character actions including John Malkovich (“In the Line of Fire”) and the former Disney child star turned superstar, Kurt Russell (“Backdraft”).
I can’t get enough of Russell’s superb acting skills and without having that much to say in “Deepwater Horizon,” he is the rock solid anchor in which all other actors tie themselves to.
It seemed like a normal spring day in April 2010 on the Deepwater Horizon, except when after a few moments of character building of the cast, everything goes from “flowers and fluffy clouds” to “OH MY GOODNESS” as the massive oil rig, home to hundreds of skilled and unskilled workers is engulfed in flames.
The last time we’ve seen an oil rig burst into flames was in 2013’s lackluster “Man of Steel” when a bare-shirted Clark Kent jumps into the fray and holds onto the main section of the rig with his bare hands.
Unfortunately for the crew of the Deepwater Horizon, someone must have forgotten to pack their cape and tights that day, as nothing stops the rampaging disaster of the oil rig not only bursting into flames but massive sections of it starts to disintegrate and collapse into the Gulf of Mexico.
Again, the story is “inspired” and not a factual, step-by-step recounting of what happened on the Deepwater Horizon, but suffice to say that everyone who were not immediately killed by the explosion of mud that burst from the ocean floor or burnt alive when the oil rig exploded had no chance of rescue as they huddled together on the helicopter landing pad, the only surface not demolished.
Many of the workers decided to take their chances and leapt for their lives into the ocean.
Mark Wahlberg stars as Mike Williams in “Deepwater Horizon”.
“Deepwater Horizon” is not a story with a happy ending.
The billions of gallons of oil and gunk the spewed from the ocean floor was immediately toxic to the fragile ecosystem of South Louisiana, Alabama, and the entire Golf Coast.
The impact of the “Deepwater Horizon” oil spill is still being felt to this day and will for generations to come.
Berg certainly could have spent more time on the aftermath of the BP oil spill but elected to focus the bulk of this film on the lead up to, and day of, the explosion.
All of the family members on the Louisiana coastline who kissed and hugged their loved ones goodbye as they went off to work watched in horror on live global TV these same family members being burnt alive.
Heady stuff.
Of course not one of us, dear reader, will even think about what it takes to fill up our car or motorcycle gas tanks and where the gasoline and oil comes from that our modern society desperately needs.
I think the families and survivors of the “Deepwater Horizon” may have a different opinion.
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