Since the dawn of cinema, films have been used to spread societal messages. Political activism, race relations, indigenous mistreatments, ecological shifts have both subtly and unabashedly been core themes and foundations for thousands of films. Normally, when the themes and stances are subtly weaved into narratives, it’s met with praise for not being pandering or preachy. And then, on the opposite end of that spectrum, a film that beats the message over the audience’s head is usually squandered by the masses.
Daniel Goldhaber’s adaptation of Andreas Malm’s non-fiction book How To Blow Up A Pipeline is a brilliant example of breaking the mould by having a film that’s stance is obvious and apparent from minute one, but also making a film that stands on its own as a damn good movie.
How To Blow Up A Pipeline follows 8 ecological activists in the 56 hours leading up to their daring plot to blow up an oil pipeline in Texas to disrupt the system that has brought all of them unique and individual pains. The mastermind of the group is Xochitl (Ariela Barer, also co-writer), who recently lost her mother due to the ongoing heat waves in California. Along with fellow college activist, Shawn (Marcus Scribner), and best friend, Theo (Sasha Lane), who recently has had a deadly illness reemerge due to oil refinery exposure in her childhood, recruit a group of people who have been affected by corporations who have chosen money and greed over life.
In the group of activists is Michael (Forrest Goodluck), a Native American angered by the mistreatment of his people; Logan (Lukas Gage) and Rowan (Kristine Froseth), the lovestruck anti-establishment vandals; Dwayne (Jake Weary), a local man of which the pipeline was forcefully built on his land; and Alisha (Jayme Lawson), Theo’s girlfriend.
After months of planning online, and all with motives to put this plan into action, the group meet up in a secluded, abandoned house near the pipeline and begin building the 3 bombs needed to strategically take down this pipeline and have their voice heard in the hopes to kickstart a revolution.
Wasting no time in getting to business, How To Blow Up A Pipeline introduces the eight activists with frantic energy. A booming and unnerving synth score bellows as each begins their final countdown plans until leaving for Texas from all over the country. Whether it’s goodbyes to friends and family, or frazzled escapes from a ket bender at the club, the opening five minutes of this film sets the tone, the energy and establishes the vibe of each character incredibly well. And it only gets more tense and bold from there.
In the most literal sense, this film is a ticking time bomb of tension. Scenes of characters working with hazardous materials to create the right chemical concoctions for maximum damage have this gritty and claustrophobic feel to them, with director Goldhaber putting the audience right into the action. As the plan builds and the group move on to the next stages, the difficulty and anxiety of the situation relentlessly hangs over the film and the audience, never letting the tension drop.
At the same time, the film never loses sight of its reason for existing. While it is an incredibly effective thriller, Goldhaber’s co-written script with Barer and Jordan Sjol will cut away at the height of key moments to give a brief flashback for each character to flesh out their reasons and motives for taking part of this project to begin with. It’s crazy that Goldhaber and co. can use extremely heavy and emotional character moments as levity, feeling like the audience can finally take a breath from the heightened anxiety.
How To Blow Up A Pipeline has a strong statement to make against ecological issues and conglomerate corporations profiting of the death of others, but it isn’t afraid to also play it’s own Devil’s advocate, especially through the lens of Alisha’s character, who frequently argues as to how the consequences of blowing up the pipeline with affect more than just the corporations, but the poor families who won’t be able to afford gas after the price spikes. It’s a bold move to counteract your own point will legitimate arguments, in your own film, but it’s an entirely respectable movie from Goldhaber because it’s elements like that, that will undoubtedly lead to more substantial conversations about subjects like this in the future.
Grabbing you from minute one, and not letting go until the credits roll, How To Blow Up A Pipeline succeeds in being a strong activist message, and a tense and engaging thriller film, a feat that isn’t easy to pull off, but the filmmakers behind this movie have done just that.
