CIFF 2022 | ‘How To Blow Up A Pipeline’ review: A razor-sharp act of political provocation
Daniel Goldhaber’s second feature film pulls out all the stops as a defiant, sure-footed eco-terrorism thriller.
Forrest Goodluck in “How To Blow Up A Pipeline.” Photo courtesy of Neon.
Novel-to-film adaptations are one thing. Political-manifesto-to-film adaptations, on the other hand, are a phenomenon that has remained relatively, if not completely untapped, even as Hollywood continues to struggle for original content. The most obvious culprit for this is the general erosion of authenticity and genuine human spirit in films today, both independent and big-budget alike — my comrade-in-film Aidan Bryant has written an excellent treatise on this which I edited for F Newsmagazine. It is also the only culprit I can think to blame after having witnessed the tense, gripping spectacle that is Daniel Goldhaber’s “How To Blow Up A Pipeline.”
Blaming a lack of capital certainly won’t explain why “How To Blow Up A Pipeline” is poised to become, as of next year, the sole quasi-mainstream film that dares to get not only political, but unapologetically in-your-face about it. As Goldhaber himself said at the Chicago International Film Festival, “Pipeline” was funded extremely quickly by a small group of very enthusiastic financiers, and in similar fashion, the film itself was shot over a mere 19 days. Blaming government surveillance won’t cut it either — the film’s technical advisor, credited only as “Anonymous,” was revealed by Goldhaber to be a U.S. government employee working in counterterrorism, who was more than willing and able to advise the film’s crew on the logistics of hazardous chemicals and homemade bombs (without accidentally providing audiences a viable set of instructions on how to actually blow up a pipeline, sadly). Blaming the general perception of political movies as niche and unsellable would also be false, given that renowned distributor Neon has acquired the film’s distribution rights, with a theatrical release planned for 2023. There is absolutely no reason that “How To Blow Up A Pipeline” should be as singular as it currently is within the modern-day film landscape. So … what gives?
The dearth of thrillers like these certainly isn’t for want of directors or screenwriters willing — and experienced enough — to take up the mantle of a political provocateur. “Pipeline” is only Goldhaber’s second feature film, which would seem remarkable were it not for his track record. His debut feature, “CAM,” is a solid, psychedelic horror thrill ride whose excellent direction and execution belies its low-budget production, and still stands today as (in my opinion, at least) one of the only decent Netflix Originals in the streaming site’s entire catalogue. Citing varied influences ranging from “Ocean’s 11” to “Reservoir Dogs;” Michael Mann’s “Thief” to Robert Bresson’s “A Man Escaped,” “Pipeline” combines Goldhaber’s established ability to mirror the sleek, polished thrillers that influence him with the explosive (no pun intended) potential of eco-terrorism in a dying world, and the result is nothing short of a heart-pounding, knife’s-edge thriller that wouldn’t be out of place showing in Dolby at your nearest AMC.
Boasting a stellar ensemble cast of both fictional characters and the star-studded actors who play them, “Pipeline” is further enriched by standout performances from Ariela Barer, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, and Forrest Goodluck. Alongside the rest of their co-leads, these extremely talented young actors clash or co-operate with enough passion that their goals feel justified, no matter which side of the political spectrum you may fall on, while ensuring that each of their roles is given enough nuance so as to avoid falling into political clichés. Goldhaber’s direction is taut and precise, not wasting a single second of his on unnecessary fluff or filler; instead sticking to a script that miraculously manages to run the gamut of opinions both for and against eco-terrorism in just over 100 minutes.
It is perhaps quite telling that Anders Malm, the Swedish Marxist author of the original manifesto of the same name, wholeheartedly approved of Goldhaber’s adaptation and expansion of his work. “How To Blow Up A Pipeline” is, at its heart, the kind of thriller that nobody can resist — smooth, smart, and bound to take the world by storm the way the “Ocean’s” franchise did all the way back in 2001. Except now, 21 years later, the ice caps are melting, polar bears are dying, and the planet grows hotter by the minute. The landscape of the Earth is changing … and it makes total sense that the landscape of the thriller genre should change with it. Here’s to hoping that these thrillers, in turn, change the minds of those who watch them; in small ways or big, about our planet, and what it really looks like to save the world.
“How To Blow Up A Pipeline” opens in cinemas in 2023.
