In Daniel Goldhaber’s thriller, a group of environmental activists plot a daring plan to disrupt an oil pipeline in Texas.
The activists are a disparate group and the opening scenes where they are all introduced seemed rushed and confusing. However, after that, Goldhaber barely puts a foot wrong. They meet up in a shack near the pipeline and start their preparations that in themselves are perilous. We then see the plot unfold and that becomes extremely tense. At the same time, there are intermittent flashbacks for each character that fill in their backstory and explain their motivations. I am not a fan of that device, but in this instance it works really well, because if all that information had been provided up front it would have made for a sluggish start to the movie. Without that background, it would have been hard to care about the plotters as most are superficially unlikable.
The intense Forrest Goodluck is the pick of the cast as Michael, who has the bomb-making knowledge. Aside from him, Ariela Barer also impresses as Xochitl, the young woman who initiates the project after a family tragedy.
The one thing that does not ring completely true is the depiction of law enforcement, from the cop getting drunk on duty to a badly drawn FBI agent. However, it is beautifully shot by Tehillah de Castro, Gavin Brivik’s synth based score helps propel the story and it is directed by with a real clip by Goldhaber.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10