In theaters September 30.

On April 20^th, 2010, one of the world’s largest man-made disasters occurred on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico.  Directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor), this story honors the brave men and women whose heroism would save many on board, and change everyone’s lives forever.

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O’Brien and Kate Hudson

Directed by: Peter Berg
Screenplay by: Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand
Screen Story by: Matthew Sand
Based upon: An article by David Barstow, David Rohde, and Stephanie Saul published in The New York Times
Produced by: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, p.g.a.; Mark Vahradian, p.g.a.; Mark Wahlberg, p.g.a.; Stephen Levinson, p.g.a.; David Womark, p.g.a.

Genre: Action, Drama
Rating: PG-13 for prolonged intense disaster sequences and related disturbing images, and brief strong language.
Runtime: 107 minutes

This transcript has been lightly edited:

The Critic: Everyone, the Ref (laughter) saw “Deepwater Horizon,” which is coming to all of us in the theaters on September 30. She already saw it — you know she did. You know that she sneaked into that theater to see it. (laughter)

The Referee: Wait a minute!

Critic: And this, if you don’t know, it stars Mark Wahlberg; it stars Kurt Russell in a movie with Kate Hudson, by the way —

Ref: Yeah, step-daddy.

Critic:  — also John Malkovich (laughter) and Gina Rodriguez from “Jane the Virgin.” It is directed by Peter Berg.

Ref: Of course, if Mark Wahlberg’s in it (laughs) —

Critic: Yes. And, we know what we’re going to get from him: no-nonsense filmmaking. And it’s written by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand. So, tell us all about it.

Ref: OK. So, this is based on the offshore drilling rig that went to pieces in 2010. Now, the movie starts off this way (laughs): It starts off with this machine, going deep into the earth, in the ocean —

Critic: Right.

Ref:  — casing out the drilling line all the way to the ocean floor. And, we see that there are problems on the way down there. But, those who are manning the machine — testing the machine — they want to get out of there, because they’re 43 days behind schedule. They’re sending the testing crew out and want to start the drilling crew, to come in now. Everybody’s in a standstill.

Critic: Mm.

Ref: Next, we see Mark Wahlberg, the chief technician of the rig. He’s at home; he’s getting ready to go on this 21-day testing feat. And, he’s saying goodbye to his wife, Kate Hudson. The love is there; it really sets you up for how much of a homebody he is and how much he enjoys his family.

Critic: Mm-hm.

Ref: Everybody else? Well, you better get ready for a ride. ‘Cause once they land on the rig, that’s when BP — the main rep, John Malkovich — puts the pressure on the team to get on with it: “We wanna leave; we wanna get out of here; we wanna fly away; we’re 43 days over schedule. Whats the holdup?” Well, the holdup is: The rig isn’t passing the tests. And so, Kurt Russell —who plays the chief technician — he decides to run the final test to make sure, and it fails. Well, John Malkovich, BP, and its representatives give this huge, complicated reason why it should be passed.

Critic: Mm.

Ref: And, of course, we know what happens. They start the drilling and in comes the oil, and all chaos breaks loose.

Critic: Mm.

Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) and Felicia Williams (Kate Hudson) in DEEPWATER HORIZON. Photo Credit: David Lee

Ref: Yes. You remember those headlines. All of that rig, catching on fire, that’s really what the movie is about: surviving on this rig at the hands of human error. Now, it reminds me of the movie in the 90s, “Backdraft.” Remember that movie with Kurt Russell?

Critic: Oh, yeah. (laughs)

Ref: Wait a minute! I just threw that together! (laughter) Yes, really, what Peter Berg does is: He gives you a spectacular viewing of this monstrous error, a grievous error. You see the fire almost behaving as sort of an enemy. You know, it spews at people. There’s … shrapnel, spewing at people, hitting people’s faces, things blowing up.

Critic: You almost hit my face. (laughter)

Ref: I did. And, the point of this movie is: How do we survive? How do we get out of here alive? Now, some people make it, some people don’t. But, what you will know at the end of “Deepwater Horizon” is: You’re going to want Mark Wahlberg on your team.

Critic: Oh. (laughter) So, wait a minute: This sounds exciting; it sounds like the lean filmmaking I expect from Peter Berg.

Ref: It’s lean.

Critic: Should we see this sucka in the movie theater, though?

Ref: You definitely should. And, let me give you some reasons why. Number one: the casting!

Critic: Mm.

Ref: He decided to do something a little different. Now, when they’re in trouble and everything’s in chaos, they call in the National Guard. Now, I don’t know if these people are really the National Guard. I mean, it looks like these actors did the makeup themselves. (laughter) It really felt like being in that room in “The Bourne Supremacy” — in that second one, where people are just sitting at computers, kind of just talking, throwing things out. It was just so real. I really felt like I was there. Mark Wahlberg does a fantastic job at being Mark Wahlberg.

Critic: Yeah.

From left to right: Stephen Curtis (Jason Pine, far left), Jimmy Harrell (Kurt Russell, center left), Donald Clark (Ronald Weaver, center right) and Jason Anderson (Ethan Suplee, far right) in DEEPWATER HORIZON. Photo Credit: David Lee

Ref: It’s exactly what you expect. Kurt Russell: He’s going to give you what you expect. But, you really believe that this man is the captain of this ship, and he’s going to go down with it —

Critic: Mm-hm.

Ref: — if everybody’s not off-board. Gina Rodriguez: She’s annoying; but, in good way, (laughter) because her character does some things, especially towards the end, where you just wanna slap her in her face. But, she does a very sturdy job. But, the Real MVP goes to — you know who it is.

Critic: John Malkovich.

Ref: (laughing) John Malkovich! What a strange performance.

Critic: It’s John Malkovich.

Ref: He really was a guy from the bayou. I mean, his Louisianan accent was thick and beautiful. And, you really felt like this guy was a tool; I’m telling you: When you go see this, you may wanna think twice before getting gas from BP.

Critic: Oh, my goodness. Well, everybody, again, “Deepwater Horizon” — please, run to the theater.

Ref: No, you really should run to it. You’re going to get your money’s worth. And, it’s a great movie … if you just wanna get heated up! (laughter)

Critic: (laughing) So, this, again, opens in a theater near you on September 30.