How to Blow Up a Pipeline
How to Blow Up a Pipeline

Movie spotlight

How to Blow Up a Pipeline

2023
Movie
104 min
English

A crew of young environmental activists execute a daring mission to sabotage an oil pipeline.

Insights

IMDb6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes95%
Metacritic80/100
Google Users94%
Director: Daniel GoldhaberGenres: Thriller, Drama, Crime

Plot Summary

Eight young environmental activists decide to take a radical approach to fighting climate change by targeting a West Texas oil pipeline. Each member of the group has a personal stake in the mission, driven by the devastating impacts of fossil fuels on their lives and communities. The film follows their intricate planning and execution of the sabotage, blurring the lines between activism and terrorism as they grapple with the immense risks and ethical dilemmas involved.

Critical Reception

How to Blow Up a Pipeline garnered significant critical acclaim, praised for its timely and urgent subject matter, thrilling execution, and complex portrayal of radical environmentalism. Critics lauded its ability to blend a heist-like narrative with a compelling political statement, making a powerful case for the urgency of climate action. The film's tension and character development were frequently highlighted as strengths.

What Reviewers Say

  • A tense and propulsive thriller that captures the urgency of the climate crisis.

  • Praised for its intelligent script and commitment to its radical premise.

  • Effectively balances character-driven drama with a high-stakes, action-packed plot.

Google audience: Google users overwhelmingly praised the film for its relevant and important message regarding climate change and environmental activism. Many found the plot engaging and the execution compelling, with particular appreciation for the film's ability to provoke thought and discussion on urgent societal issues.

Awards & Accolades

Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and received nominations for Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Independent Film Awards.

Fun Fact

The film is based on the 2019 non-fiction book of the same name by Andreas Malm, which argues for the necessity of property destruction in the fight against climate change.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

I think this might have worked better for me had there been any of these conspiratorial characters with whom I could vaguely relate. As it is, they are collection of disparate folks with health problems, chips on their shoulders and axes to...