Daniel Garber, who previously worked with Goldhaber on his debut, CAM, returns to deliver fine editing work. He intelligently slices the main plot and the characters’ backstories together throughout How To Blow Up A Pipeline. He does all this without turning down the heat on the mission. After we get a glimpse of all the members and understand their involvement in the operation, the propulsion of events that kicks things off never decelerates.
Goldhaber often emphasizes the runtime, telling audiences, “See you in 100 minutes.” Owing to Garber’s editing, the movie perfectly balances everything there is to say within a tight frame. Despite the quick runtime, viewers will not be underwhelmed and will feel every emotional expression and urgency the story intends to impart. You root for these characters to succeed, thus, amplifying the enthusiastic experience in store. The well-constructed assembly of flashbacks, the main timeline, and the intended message eradicate any issues with the momentum.
“…never decelerates.”
But this thrilling film may become divisive at some point in the middle. Though the unexpected and communicative climatic turn ends on a provoking note, some areas of the plot clash with the themes and interpretations How To Blow Up A Pipeline offers. The protagonist(s) are young adults thrown off a cliff after experiencing general ignorance toward a subject that nearly destroyed their lives. With their anger and vengeful attitude also comes naivety, reflected in their dialogue and arguments. At points, it feels that rage drives these individuals more than purpose, which raises the question of whether the message is being laid out correctly. This may be just a minute detail that I thought about during the screening. Even still, the film is satisfactory.
Most of the thematic allegories lie in the discussions the main characters have. Goldhaber hasn’t turned his film into a debate on political and corporate greed that contributes the most to climate change. Instead, he’s just pointing fingers in the right direction. It’s intricate to decide if sabotage is the only way to figure out a way around climate change issues. But, the film successfully charges up the thoughts and notions it espouses with essential tenacity, creating a valid imperative to take these matters seriously.
How To Blow Up A Pipeline will capture the young audience with its heist-like narrative and the tension-fueled unraveling of events. However, it may not be entirely persuasive about its cause due to the characters’ attitudes at times. Still, the film has qualities that will influence the viewers to the story’s themes.
"…will influence the viewers to the story's themes."
