‘If the American empire is calling us terrorists then we’re doing something right...’
Environmental activism is a hot topic right now. Not a day goes by that social media isn’t inundated with images of Just Stop Oil protestors blocking roads and disrupting sporting events. While there is no denying that the world has reached a tipping point in terms of environmental crisis, there is a debate to be had about whether disrupting the lives of ordinary working people is the best way to draw attention to this crisis. How to Blow Up a Pipeline grapples with this conundrum whilst also being suspenseful and entertaining…
A group of activists including a woman who has developed a rare form of cancer due to growing up around radiation (Sasha Lane), a man whose home was sequestered by the government to make way for the titular pipeline (Jake Weary) and a pair of young activists with a lot to lose (Lukas Gage and Kristine Froseth) hatch a daring plan to disrupt an oil pipeline.
Director Daniel Goldhaber whose debut film Cam I also enjoyed has assembled a captivating and authentic ensemble cast to tell this story. While I’d have liked a little more time given over to the moral implications of environmental activism, How to Blow Up a Pipeline is far from a sermon. Goldhaber, who co-wrote the screenplay along with Ariela Barer (who also plays a key role in the film as another young woman who has grown up in the shadow of big oil) and the aforementioned Lukas Gage, ensures that the human element of this story is pushed to the forefront and this is one of the main factors in the success of the film as a whole. And make no bones about it, this film is a success. It’s tense, compelling and innovative and when the credits rolled I was aching to know more about these characters and their lives. There can be no higher praise.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline has been a modest critical and commercial success but it deserves more of an audience. It’s currently sitting right there on Netflix. Go see it.