With the premiere of "Deepwater Horizon" drawing near, there are some things viewers need to know when watching this historical movie. While the movie showcases the amazing acting abilities of Mark Wahlberg, Kate Hudson, Dylan O'Brien, Kurt Russell and Gina Rodriguez, the movie is much more than that. Here are some things to think about when going to see "Deepwater Horizon" --
1. It is based on a real-life event
On April 20, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, exposing the Gulf of Mexico to more than 200 million gallons of crude oil. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig was owned and operated by "offshore-oil-drilling company Transocean and leased by oil company BP," which is why the event is also known as the BP oil spill.
2. These actors and actresses are portraying real people
This movie is based on real life events, as previously stated, and the actors are portraying real people. The characters they are playing are based on the stories of the survivors from the tragic event. While the cast is very attractive and well known, this film isn't about them. This film is about those who died and the heroes who didn't know if they were going to see their families again; this is their story, not Mark Wahlberg or Dylan O'Brien's, but the heroes such as Mike Williams and Caleb Holloway and their families. Here's the main characters and the actors/actresses portraying them.
Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg)
Felicia Williams (Kate Hudson)
& Sydney Williams (Stella Allen)
(All three pictured below
Caleb Holloway (Dylan O'Brien)
Jimmy Harrell (Kurt Russell)
Andrea Fleytas (Gina Rodriquez)
Jason Anderson (Ethan Suplee, behind Kurt Russell)
3. 11 people died
While the movie may not show everyone who died, it does not mean that they should be forgotten. I'm sure they will have a dedication somewhere in the movie to those who died but for now, here is the list of those who died, courtesy of Awesome Stories.
Jason Anderson - age 35
Dale Burkeen - age 37
Donald Clark - age 48
Stephen Curtis - age 40
Gordon Jones - age 28
Roy Wyatt Kemp - age 27
Karl Dale Kleppinger - age 38
Blair Manuel - age 56
Dewey Revette - age 48
Shane Roshto - age 22
Adam Weise - age 24
4. The explosion was a result of not one, but eight failures
BP took partial credit when owning up to the failures that caused the explosion. The day before the explosion, according to New Scientists, the crew filled the bottom of the borehole with cement, a procedure to prevent an oil leak. "On the day of the accident, the team were conducting checks to determine that that the well had been properly sealed," but little did they know, they had a lot more to worry about. Not only was 1) the cement dodgy, resulting in a malfunctioning seal, but there was also valve malfunctions. 2) The first valve malfunction allowed oil and gas to rise out of the pipe and 3) the second valve malfunction happened after the explosion when they couldn't shut the valve preventing mud and gas from spilling onto the ground. Another mess up was that 4) the pressure test was misinterpreted, leading to a false confidence that the well was sealed and under control. The next incident was that 5) the leak was not spotted soon enough, which could cause a lot of debate. Next was 6) an overwhelm separator; the mud and gas could have been safely diverted away from the rig but instead were diverted to a "device on board the rig." The last two failures could have easily been avoided. 7) There was no gas alarm. While the rig did have an onboard gas alarm, it never sounded which could mean it was outdated, not properly connected, or even dead, but as goes for most alarms, this should have been tested periodically. The final failure, which again could have been avoided, was that 8) there was no battery in the BOP (blowout preventer); "the blowout preventer has its own safety mechanism in which two separate systems should have shut the valves automatically when it lost contact with the surface" so neither system worked. "One system seems to have had a flat battery and the other a defective switch." (Thanks to Justin Mullins)
5. It took three years to clean up the oil along the coastlines
Not only was the Gulf of Mexico affected, but also the shorelines of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. While not everyone believed the clean-up was over, "BP announced that the U.S. Coast Guard was ending its cleaning effort" (CBSNews).
While it's been almost seven years since the worst oil spill in history, it will never be forgotten. I hope everyone goes and sees "Deepwater Horizon," coming out September 30th and I hope everyone keeps in mind the families and loved ones of those who were affected.
