By the end of the year, Mark Wahlberg will be seen in two movies based on real life tragedies: “Deepwater Horizon” and “Patriot’s Day.” Even more, both are directed by his good bud Peter Berg. It seems both the actor and director are feeling the weight of the world at the moment, but whether that turns into good cinema, we’ll just have to wait and see.
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The first movie to make its way to the multiplex is “Deepwater Horizon,” which has its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and tells the story of the 2010 BP oil spill, one of the worst environmental disasters in history. And the movie will take audiences right onto the rig at the center of the tragedy. Here’s the synopsis from TIFF:
It is April 2010. The Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling unit lays some piping 40 miles southeast of the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. An air of unease hangs in the air as workers clash with British Petroleum executives over questions of due diligence. Eyes clearly fixed on the bottom line, BP’s bullying bigwig wants to expedite the tests and get drilling.
Meanwhile, the veteran foremen are primarily concerned about their co-workers’ safety — but will they defy orders when millions of dollars are on the line?
While one can deduce what happens next, the getting there makes for electrifying cinema. Disaster strikes and the Coast Guard is called in, but it is up to those already aboard to save as many lives as possible before the entire rig goes up in flames.
Co-starring Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O’Brien and Kate Hudson, “Deepwater Horizon” opens on September 30th. Check out the first clip and a new featurette below.