150 Word Review: 'Deepwater Horizon' (2016)
Midnight oil
The Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010 was the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Five years later, the catastrophic explosion on the offshore drilling rig that caused millions of gallons of crude to surge into the Gulf of Mexico was given the Hollywood treatment. Peter Berg directs Deepwater Horizon with a lot of affection and respect for roughnecks. He knows this is a disaster movie, but eleven real people lost their lives the night the movie takes place. So it’s also a tragedy.
The villains? Soulless corporate slimeballs, of course. They never listen. John Malkovich plays one, with a part-time Cajun accent. No one does working-class hero like Mark Wahlberg, except maybe Russell Crowe. They're both in top form here, competent blue-collar dudes. Oscar-winner Kate Hudson plays a worried wife well. The movie begins slowly — just another day in the life. Once the explosions start, you'll hold your breath.