This tight eco thriller focuses on a group of young activists who come together to bring about a crash in the oil market by destroying two chunks of pipeline out in the Texan desert. Thanks primarily to its low-fi, insular aesthetic and generally restrained approach, 'How To Blow Up A Pipeline (2022)' feels decidedly realistic and plays out almost like a documentary at times. Despite a title which seems to give away the ending, the piece is an exercise in suspense almost from start to finish. The keen placement of several brief but important flashback scenes only serves to further ratchet the tension that comes with the territory of eco terror. The motivations of the ensemble cast are well expressed even if there are only one or two scenes dedicated to establishing them, and the morally grey but understandably desperate actions that fuel the main body of the feature are surprisingly compelling given how straightforward their presentation often is. The flick isn't exactly deep when it comes to its politics, but it's an unashamedly leftist effort that brazenly advocates for the kind of action it depicts. It ends with a pretty blatant call to action that ought to have the audience at least thinking about how they can get involved in the struggle to save our planet, even if it likely won't inspire them to cause the same levels of anarchy as depicted in the narrative. It doesn't outwardly glamourise the actions of its characters so much as it humanises them, toeing the line between advocating destruction and inspiring deeper analysis of it. The end result is a gritty little thriller without an ounce of fat on it, one that works both as in-the-moment entertainment and retrospective food for thought. It maybe isn't as politically charged - or, perhaps, nuanced - as it thinks it is, but it takes a distinct approach to its genre and pulls it off with aplomb.
Review of How to Blow Up a Pipeline
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
(2022)
I wonder what else the filmmakers have in the pipeline?
31 October 2023