Deepwater Horizons and Scully are two “based on a true story” films that raise interesting questions about goverment regulations and corporate accountability.
Deepwater Horizons deals with the biggest oil explosion in American history: the 2010 British Petroleum oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. The film focuses on the crew of the oil rig.
The first part of the movie moves slowly as it focuses on the rig crews preparations for drilling, with a particular focus on their safety inspections. The film benefits from strong performances by Mark Wahlberg as Mike Williams, who is an oil rig worker engaged in a futile mission to convince the British Petrolatum executives that the rig has safety flaws.
Williams is joined in his efforts by the ship’s supervisor “Mr.Jimmy,” played by libertarian actor Kurt Russell. Their main nemesis is Donald Vidrine, a BP engineer who makes it clear his only concern is to minimize costs in order to get the rig out to the sea as soon as possible.
The filmmakers clearly wanted to make the case that the explosion was due to willful negligence on behalf of BP, but unless you are knowledgeable about the technical details of oil rig safety equipment and standards, much of the exposition of what went wrong will go over your head. However, the scenes depicting what happens after the explosion are incurably suspenseful and masterfully done. See this one in IMAX if you can.
