Director Daniel Goldhaber does not shy away from controversial subject matter in his films. In 2018, he made his directorial debut with Cam, a psychological horror film set in the underbelly of webcam pornography. His sophomore feature, How To Blow Up a Pipeline, thrusts gonzo climate activists into the spotlight. A semi-thrilling adaptation of Andreas Malm’s book of the same name, this cinematic and political statement sees a group of underdogs fighting to reclaim their power, but falls a bit shy of making a hard-hitting impact.
Distributed by indie champion NEON, the film is a nonlinear look at how a group of activists from across the country come together to fight the oil industry. We first meet the collective, made up of eight young men and women from various backgrounds. They have convened in West Texas, with plans of destruction already in motion. The film moves quickly (almost too quickly). At first, the lack of context for the first 15 minutes feels insufficient and mildly confusing. However, the characters’ backstories and how they all came to meet are eventually revealed. Patience is key here.
Once we’re given more information on who these people are and why they’re risking their freedom and lives to make a statement, their reasoning seems justified. Passion and anger fuel their actions, and their message, on the whole, is one worth supporting. There are enough twists in the script to make How To Blow Up a Pipeline an enjoyably unpredictable watch. Yet, I fear it lacks the staying power to make it a cinematic political statement of the highest degree.
The film’s aesthetic is comforting in its warm and grainy look, similar to Power Ranger films of the mid-90s. The editing is also reminiscent of old-school superhero shows you’d find on TV after school. It gives the film an organic texture that feels rooted in the Earth, almost like we can feel the effects of global warming through the screen. Composer Gavin Brivik incorporates the sounds of the enemy – oil drums and pipes – into his score by recording samples with distorted and pulsing synth sounds.
There’s no doubt that this story is one worth telling. How To Blow Up a Pipeline is a commendable effort to bring attention to this crisis. While it may not rank among my favorite ecological thrillers (Woman at War and Night Moves to name a couple), How To Blow Up a Pipeline’s message alone is worth the watch.
100 minutes. Opening in theaters on Friday, April 7, 2023.
