Deeply Moving: “Deepwater Horizon”

deepwater-horizon-first-posterMark Wahlberg did not disappoint in this thrilling retelling of the 2010 BP oil spill. “Deepwater Horizon” follows the misfortunate events that led up to the infamous disaster that wreaked havoc on the gulf six years ago.

The movie starts out with an in-depth look at the home life of the protagonist Mike Williams, played by Wahlberg. Williams is depicted as a loving husband and father to his wife and young daughter. The family seems to be accustomed to Williams’ oil rig lifestyle, with the mutual understanding that he will always return.

Their faith in that assumption takes a massive hit when the rig that was deemed by experts to be entirely safe experienced catastrophic levels of pressure build-up, resulting in the massive explosions that would take the lives of 11 crew members. Following the explosion, the movie documented the escape efforts of various individuals aboard the rig, focusing mainly on the rescue endeavors of Williams.

I found the movie to be an interesting portrayal of what the media failed to highlight. The terrifying chaos that took place aboard the rig seemed to be overshadowed by the devastation it caused to the Gulf ecosystem. This movie delivers a brilliant tribute to these brave men, and does so accurately. The demeanor, attire, and vocabulary were all spot on for what one would expect from a crew of oil riggers.

The movie kept me on the edge of my seat. I believe this movie was not excessively long but it was long enough to fully encapsulate the struggle of the crew that fateful day. The special effects were very well done in this film. Its only shortcoming would be the lighting was like a strobe light for a decent portion of the film. There was fire and lights flickering, it was hard to watch at times.

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