Pioneer - the conquest of the oil fields of Norway

The film “Pioneer”, directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg, is the result of Norwegian-German-Swedish-French-Finnish cooperation, which was released in the second half of 2013. The plot is set in the reality of the 1980s. It is then that the race for oil deposits hidden in the depths of the North Sea begins. Millions are at stake, so the risk and loss of human life for many is calculated into the costs.

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The leading role of Peter is played by Norwegian film star Aksel Hennie, known from such productions as Headhunters or Max Manus. Our hero is a professional diver, whose greatest passion is deep diving. No wonder that together with his brother – Knut (Andre Eriksen), they take part in a test to answer the question “is it possible to lay a pipeline on the bottom of the North Sea at a depth of 500m?”.

The Norwegians are supported by a team of Americans, employed by a multinational company which wants to get a contract for drilling at any cost. Unfortunately for both brothers, from the very beginning everything goes disastrously wrong, and the very first test ends in tragedy. After the death of one of the divers, when no one wants to take responsibility for the whole situation, Peter tries to explain the accident on his own.

He faces representatives of the company that hired him, but also the Norwegian government. The prospect of huge profits means that Peter, trying to find out the truth, will have to get involved in a very dangerous game, where his life may be at stake.

Wonderful scenes set in the realities of professional diving will make many people’s breath quicken. After many film productions presenting the beauty of the deep sea and diving, it was time to show a less subtle and much darker face of human adventures under water.

In this interesting production, which can be classified as a thriller/drama, moral and ethical issues are brought to the fore wherever human health and life are sacrificed in the name of colossal profits. The birth and development of the oil industry, which made Norway such a prosperous country, was not a beautiful story about a man’s expedition to the depths.

For those expecting 106min of non-stop action and breathtaking scenes, I recommend a bit more restraint and not going for the typical action cinema. However, if you like dark, claustrophobic cinema, where a man is pushed to the brink of his limits, you will surely be satisfied.