'Deepwater Horizon' Is 'Masterful' With 'Excellent Performances,' and 9 Buoyant Reviews

“Deepwater Horizon,” the drama about the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, is getting some good word of mouth ahead of its debut on Friday.

Starring Mark Wahlberg, John Malkovich, Kurt Russell, Dylan O’Brien and Kate Hudson, critics have given the film a solid 77 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

“‘Deepwater Horizon’ does what it sets out to do. Mike and company (which include characters played by Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez and John Malkovich) are rendered powerful and courageous,” TheWrap’s film critic Sam Fragoso wrote in his review. “Each symbolic of the type of character it takes to make it through this horrifying man-made disaster.”

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Other critics called the movie, directed by Peter Berg, a “masterful, muscular actioner” that deserves our praise. And most reviewers make special mention of the stellar performances of Wahlberg and Russell.

Expected to gross approximately $18 million from 3,200-plus theaters during its three-day debut, “Deepwater Horizon” was made for a reported $100 million.

See nine of the best reviews below.

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Brian Truitt, USA Today:

“The disaster film, which revisits the harrowing 2010 oil-rig explosion and spill in the Gulf of Mexico, is a fiery mix of white-knuckle tension, searing chaos and visceral drama. Even though you’re safe in your theater seat, director Peter Berg‘s filmmaking is such where it’s hard not to feel the gritty rescue scenes, be mesmerized by the flammable carnage or get belatedly enraged by the idiocy of oil-company bureaucracy.”

Matt Brennan, Brooklyn Magazine:

“With ‘Deepwater Horizon,’ despite its at times facile treatment of the facts, director Peter Berg has crafted a masterful, muscular actioner, one with an understanding of human stakes that puts most studio tentpoles to shame.”

Jackie K. Cooper, Huffington Post:

“There is nothing better than a good action film when all the elements come together in the right way. Director Peter Berg puts all these pieces together with near perfection. ‘Deepwater Horizon’ is a surprisingly good action film and it sets a high bar for other action films to come.”

See Video: Mark Wahlberg Learns About Oil Drilling From a 10-Year-Old in First 'Deepwater Horizon' Trailer

Stephen Whitty, New York Daily News:

“It’s an impressive achievement, and even Berg’s taste for the obvious — like shots of Old Glory, still waving through the worst of it — can’t overwhelm the humanity behind the drama. Real people, real danger — and real self-sacrifice. And if that all boils down to another case of hero worship, well, that’s OK. These guys have earned Berg’s praise. And ours.”

Roger Moore, Movie Nation:

“He makes ‘Deepwater Horizon’ a disaster movie that works by putting us there, letting us second-guess along with the experts and shake our heads that justice and responsibility for the guilty is different when they’ve got the money and the backing of a gigantic company to soften that blow. And Berg reminds us that even in the worst disaster, people can be selfless, heroic, and in the case of Aaron Dale Burkeen, professional even if those who gamble with their fates are not.”

Chris Hewitt, Empire Online:

“An efficient and no-nonsense depiction of the worst disaster in US oil drilling history, buoyed by excellent performances.”

Benjamin Lee, The Guardian:

“Deepwater Horizon is a gruelling disaster movie and a reminder of one company’s catastrophic oversights, and it stands as a worthy tribute to the brave men involved.”

Mike Ryan, Uproxx:

“Wahlberg has never really been an actor who has let himself play ‘vulnerable’ before. It’s in ‘Deepwater Horizon’ where we get a scene of Wahlberg having a complete breakdown. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think we needed a movie about this subject. I’ve changed my mind. And, if nothing else, I hope it gets people angry again, because the people who did this to our planet, and killed 11 people in the process, got off too easy.

Matt Singer, Screen Crush:

“As a director, Berg is known for his brutal action scenes, and while ‘Deepwater Horizon’s’ second half is full of intense sequences, the film’s first half is just as exciting thanks to the wonderfully uncomfortable dynamics between Wahlberg, Russell, and Malkovich. All three do an impressive job of replicating the false congeniality of an unhappy workplace. The special effects are incredible during the explosion and rescue sequences on the oil rig, but I would have been just as happy watching Russell and Malkovich passive-aggressively argue with each other for two hours.”

The Evolution of Mark Wahlberg: From Calvin Klein Pants Dropper to 'Deepwater Horizon' Star (Photos)

Mark Wahlberg went from Calvin Klein model to box office superstar.
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg was born on June 5, 1971 in a suburb of Boston, the youngest of nine children.
Calvin Klein
Before he started feeling the good vibrations, Wahlberg briefly joined New Kids on the Block with his brother, Donnie Wahlberg.
Columbia, Interscope
Wahlberg then moved on to the Funky Bunch and scored a top hit with "Good Vibrations" in 1991.
Interscope Records
Wahlberg's modeling campaign with Calvin Klein caused a stir with a series of provocative pictures in 1992.
Calvin Klein
Since no one objected to Wahlberg's boxer briefs, he continued his short modeling career with a spread in Vanity Fair, shot by Annie Leibovitz.
Vanity Fair
What's a great way to break into acting in the '90s? A fitness video. "The Marky Mark Workout: Form, Focus, Fitness" helped viewers like you get washboard abs. This also marked when Wahlberg left the Funky Bunch to start his acting career.
Too Tall Productions
His first major acting role was in the 1993 TV movie "The Substitute." While the film was Wahlberg's big move away from his singing career, he still went by "Marky Mark."
USA Television Network
Wahlberg's next appearance was in "The Basketball Diaries," where he starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Lorraine Bracco. The role marked his official name change to "Mark Wahlberg."
New Line Cinema
Next, Wahlberg plays the deceptively charming boyfriend of Reese Witherspoon in the 1996 thriller, "Fear." It turns out he's crazy and tries to murder his girlfriend's family.
Universal Pictures
"Boogie Nights" was a huge boost for Wahlberg's career. He received rave reviews for his performance as Eddie Adams, a.k.a. Dirk Diggler, a high school dropout turned rising porn star in the late '70s.
New Line Cinema
In 2000, Wahlberg starred as Bobby Shatford, an inexperienced crew member aboard a swordfishing boat in "The Perfect Storm." The film also starred George Clooney, Diane Lane and John C. Reilly.
Warner Bros.
Tim Burton directed Wahlberg in the 2001 sci-fi remake, "Planet of the Apes."
20th Century Fox
Jennifer Aniston might be better known for her good hair days, but Wahlberg gives her a run for her money as the lead singer of a a heavy metal tribute band -- who then gets to be the lead in the band he's paying tribute to -- in 2001's "Rock Star."
Warner Bros.
Wahlberg served as executive producer on the hit HBO show "Entourage" starting in 2004. Since the series was loosely based on his own life, he made quite a few cameos.
HBO
Wahlberg hit his stride as a go-to leading man when "The Departed" hit theaters in 2006. Martin Scorsese directed the all-star cast, and Wahlberg's performance as Staff Sgt. Sean Dignam earned him a Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor.
Warner Bros.
Wahlberg shows off his comedy chops in the buddy-cop hit, "The Other Guys" in 2010. Playing partner to a mild-mannered Will Ferrell would be frustrating for anyone, but Wahlberg's anger management issues as Terry Hoitz helped make the movie a hit.
Columbia Pictures
Wahlberg plays a troubled boxer fighting for a comeback in "The Fighter." Nominated for seven Academy Awards in 2010, "The Fighter" was based on the life of Boston boxer Micky Ward.
Paramount Pictures
Staying with the Boston theme, Wahlberg starred in "Family Guy" creator Seth McFarlane's "Ted." His role as John Bennett, a man who's yet to outgrow his foul-mouthed teddy bear friend, was a huge box-office success.
Universal Pictures
Wahlberg gets down to business -- alongside Eric Bana, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster -- to defeat the Taliban in the 2013 action-packed film, "Lone Survivor."
Universal Pictures
Wahlberg had a leading role in "Transformers: Age of Extinction" in 2014. Wahlberg played Cade Yeager, a struggling inventor and single father who makes a discovery that brings down the wrath of the Autobots and Decepticons in the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise.
Paramount Pictures
Wahlberg starred as Jim Bennett in the 2014 indie drama "The Gambler," which also starred Brie Larson, John Goodman and Jessica Lange.
Paramount
The actor had a cameo in the 2015 "Entourage" film," in which he showed up as himself. Adrien Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara reprised their roles from the popular TV show for the big-screen film.
Warner Bros.
Of course, Wahlberg returned for the 2015 sequel to "Ted," directed and written by Seth MacFarlane. The film grossed $216 million worldwide while it was produced for $68 million.
Universal
Wahlberg starred in the 2015 comedy "Daddy's Home" alongside Will Ferrell. In the film, Ferrell marries Sara (Linda Cardellini) and everything goes well until her ex-husband (Wahlberg) shows up.
Paramount
The transformation of Mark Wahlberg rounds out with "Deepwater Horizon" in October 2016. The film chronicles the disaster that took place on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon in 2010, and also stars Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Dylan O'Brien and Kate Hudson.
Lionsgate