This film is as bold as the title suggests. Inspired by the non-fiction writing of activist Andreas Malm, this fictional story follows a group of people on a project that some describe as "terrorism" and some describe as "activism" depending on how you feel about it. The film's story and characters are set up to explore that dichotomy (one that I admit is not as binary as this suggests) and the boldness of the film is that is unabashedly it takes a side. Like the book that inspired it, it leans in to the position of its subjects while allowing the characters own rather complicated feelings explore their doubts and reservations along with the convictions and passions.
The film is set up like a "heist" movie. We are introduced to the "crew" and follow then as they attempt to pull off their risky project, slowly being introduced to the back stories of each person, their unique histories and humanities. Each step along the way is fraught with tension and risk. It is a brilliant narrative device to move along its story and message and it sutures us into their struggles. We feels these characters and understand them as people, see them as more than just symbols or criminals or heroes. This helps us be sympathetic to not just their cause but their choices as well.
The film is set up like a "heist" movie. We are introduced to the "crew" and follow then as they attempt to pull off their risky project, slowly being introduced to the back stories of each person, their unique histories and humanities. Each step along the way is fraught with tension and risk. It is a brilliant narrative device to move along its story and message and it sutures us into their struggles. We feels these characters and understand them as people, see them as more than just symbols or criminals or heroes. This helps us be sympathetic to not just their cause but their choices as well.
The film plays a little sleight of hand but all in a very satisfying way and it forces you to sit with some feelings. It is designed to provoke and challenge some of the more pervasive cultural assumptions that prop up the status quo and make us wonder about a lot that is commonly accepted. It does it all by telling a good story and sucking its audience into the lives of its subjects in ways that counter the traditional ways of thinking about "incidents" like this.
I believe that however you feel about damage to property activism, the environmental crisis, late stage capitalism, How to Blow Up a Pipeline will be a fascinating and thought provoking watch. Maybe it will change some minds. Maybe it won't. I don't believe you have to be convinced of its argument to enjoy it as a film but I also think that if you truly engage with it you will be forced to reckon with some issues which may be uncomfortable. Even if it doesn't win you to its argument it remains a powerful exploration of these themes and a truly entertaining and engaging film.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Starring: Ariela Barer, Forrest Goodluck, Lukas Gage, Kristine Froseth, Sasha Lane, Marcus Scribner, Jayme Lawson, Jake Weary, Irene Bedard
Director: Daniel Goldhaber
Writer: Ariela Barer, Jordan Sjol, Daniel Goldhaber
No comments:
Post a Comment