How To Blow Up A Pipeline is a eco-political thriller about a group of activists blowing up an oil pipeline in Texas. The movie begins in media res with the crew gathering at an abandoned house close to the bombing area in order to prepare. The movie then flashsback throughout the ongoing operation introducing the various members of the crew and their particular reasons.
The unarguably talented young cast is not used to it's full potential. Forrest Goodluck is the only one who really makes enough space for himself for a fully dimensional character, while there are some other ensemble highlights- Sasha Lane and Jake Weary- the movie is torn between developing its characters and political agenda and making the heist-mechanics thrilling. The result is entertaining but lacks necessary depth, a bizarre oversight given how controversial the subject matter could be viewed.
The movie is shot with an effective grainy handheld that creates the desired reality and immediacy, this is somewhat undercut by the relatively incessant ominous score which over indicates. The operation itself is mostly engaging and there's some real and pleasurable tension as a result but its not quite tight enough to really satisfy the heist itch. And the Reservoir Dogs style character introductions don't give us much in the way of actual dimension, it plays more like a laundry list of motivations(even if those motivations are based in reality). On an emotional level its all too breezy, too brief. The one time the actual politics and justifications and consequences are discussed it plays like a bunch of high school stoners rather than a group of motivated revolutionaries. Its not bad its simply not as sophisticated and complex as the subject matter(or the cast for that matter) deserve.
Slick, gripping, but overly simple.
Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.
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