Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Where to Watch
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Peter Berg's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
- The incredible score for Deepwater Horizon was composed in just a few weeks after the original composer dropped out.
- Before Mark Wahlberg was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
Deepwater Horizon is a 2016 American disaster thriller directed by Peter Berg, based on the true story of the April 2010 explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico β the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Mark Wahlberg stars as Mike Williams, the chief electronics technician aboard the rig, whose warnings about equipment failures are overridden by BP executives, played by John Malkovich, who pressure the crew to proceed with drilling despite multiple safety test failures. When the well blows out, a catastrophic explosion and fire trap the 126-person crew on a burning platform in the middle of the ocean.
Peter Berg's reconstruction of the disaster was viscerally terrifying, using practical effects including a full-scale rig set that was actually set on fire. Kurt Russell's performance as the rig's crew leader Jimmy Harrell brought weathered authority and genuine heroism to the real-life figure. Deepwater Horizon earned $121 million worldwide on a $110 million budget.
