Plot
A thriller set at the beginning of the 1980's Norwegian Oil Boom and centered on a diver whose obsession with reaching the bottom of the Norwegian Sea leads to tragedy.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 6.0/10 (2,040 voted)
Critic's Score: 53/100
Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg
Stars: Wes Bentley, Stephen Lang, Aksel Hennie
Storyline
This conspiracy thriller is set in the early 80's, the beginning of the Norwegian Oil Boom. Enormous oil and gas deposits are discovered in the North Sea and the authorities aim to bring the oil ashore through a pipeline from depths of 500 meters. A professional diver, Petter, obsessed with reaching the bottom of the Norwegian Sea has the discipline, strength and courage to take on the world's most dangerous mission. But a sudden, tragic accident changes everything. Petter is sent on a perilous journey where he loses sight of who's pulling the strings. Gradually he realizes that he is in way over his head and that his life is at stake.
Writers: Nikolaj Frobenius, Hans Gunnarsson
Cast: Wes Bentley -
Mike
Stephen Lang -
Ferris
Aksel Hennie -
Petter
Stephanie Sigman -
Maria
Jonathan LaPaglia -
Ronald
Ane Dahl Torp -
Pia
Jørgen Langhelle -
Leif
André Eriksen -
Knut
Jerker Fahlström -
Jørgen's father
Arne Lindtner Næss -
Minister
David A. Jørgensen -
Jørgen
Endre Hellestveit -
Trond
Janne Heltberg -
Trude
Eirik Stubø -
Jeger
Robin Hayes -
Philip
Taglines:
When your ultimate adventure becomes your ultimate nightmare
Trivia:
The accident, where Aksel Hennie rolls his Jeep isn't staged, but a real not planned rollover without a stunt man. Hennie was to drive off the road, and make a Sharp turn, but the Jeep wasn't able to perform such a turn at that speed, without rolling over. See more »
Goofs:
The movie is set in 1970. In a scene towards the end of the movie, the main character runs through a marina featuring a boat having a contra-rotating boat propeller. This system branded "DuoProp" was introduced in 1982 by Volvo Penta. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 7/10
Pioneer is a thriller inspired by true events in the 70'ies, when
Norwegians and Americans was experimenting with deep sea diving, so
that oil could go directly in pipelines from the deep sea oil wells on
to land. This was landmark and record breaking work, and there was some
tension between the Norwegians and the Americans back then. Humans were
guinea pigs, in the sense that this was never done before. You could
call it a moon landing at deep sea.
This thriller has a very different style from what you might usually
think a thriller should have. It bears resemblances with sci-fi films
when landing on the moon. The feeling of the film is also close to
films paranoia films like "The conversation" (of which thus doesn't
even come close) or more known submarine films. Claustrophibic from
time to time. The finishing scene is pure film art, but still maybe too
obvious symbolic.
I found the film exciting, and I liked especially the way the
underwater situations were told. We were taken in on the blurry life of
deep sea divers, either they were looking through water, murky waters
or glass, and drug effects making distortion on sight. I also liked the
setting. Very bleak seventies, down to every little details as to
colors like we see them on photos today, and to authentic looking milk
cartons. This is very qualified film making in many ways.
However, there's some problems. The sound is a bad flashback from the
seventies as well, and some of the ideas are not too well thought
through. The limping (no more needed to be said) is ridiculous, and far
off when it comes to the script. What the Hell happened here!?!
Once again I think Aksel Hennie is electric in his role, as were the
others. Very good instruction, and quality actors all the way through.
It was like looking on a seventies spy thriller. A very international
crew, with Wes Bentley, Stephen Land, Jonathan LaPaglia, Stephanie
Sigman, Ane Dahl Torp, all making us remember the seventies with both
heart and shrugs.
Again screenwriter Nicolaj Frobenius proves his worth, as of course do
director Erik Skjoldbjærg, which also has done great work with the
films "Insomnia" (later remade by Christopher Nolan), "Prozac Nation",
"An Enemy of the People" and the bank heist thriller "Nokas". But here
there's some problems, and there are plot holes and easy solutions
which irritates, especially on second watch. This tells that the film
is more entertainment than really great filmmaking for film buffs.
What a director! So different films, and such great feels to every
single one! Still this falls through compared With Insomnia and Nokas
with much easier solutions, and a more shallow film making than we're
used to by Skjoldbjærg.
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