Mark Wahlberg’s Disaster Movie Based on a True Story Is a Netflix U.S. Hit, 10 Years Later

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I’ve always been fascinated by disaster movies – Hollywood just loves making them! Some create totally imagined catastrophes, like in The Day After Tomorrow, while others, such as The Impossible, are based on real, terrible events. It’s not hard to see why we watch them, though. They’re usually packed with intense drama, and the disaster scenes themselves can be incredibly impressive to look at. They’re definitely not light entertainment, but that hasn’t stopped one disaster movie from the 2010s from really taking off on Netflix recently.

From March 2nd to 8th, the movie Deepwater Horizon – which tells the true story of the oil rig explosion – ranked as the 7th most popular film on Netflix in the U.S. It outperformed movies like Trolls, Kpop Demon Hunters, and Joe’s College Road Trip to reach the top 10, marking its first week on the chart.

Why Deepwater Horizon Is a Netflix Hit 10 Years Later

Despite receiving good reviews – it has an 82% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes – the 2016 film Deepwater Horizon wasn’t a box office success, earning only $121.8 million worldwide on a production budget of $110-120 million. However, this financial result doesn’t reflect the movie’s quality. Many consider Deepwater Horizon a respectful and moving tribute to the victims of the real-life disaster. Director Peter Berg made a conscious decision to avoid sensationalism, instead focusing on the stories of the workers on the rig and the human cost of the tragedy.

Deepwater Horizon is one of three films director Peter Berg made with Mark Wahlberg in the 2010s, all inspired by real events – it falls between Lone Survivor and Patriots Day. Berg and Wahlberg clearly work well together, and Berg consistently brings out strong performances from his lead actor. Wahlberg is solid in Deepwater Horizon, playing a relatable family man unexpectedly thrown into a dangerous crisis. The film also features a strong supporting cast, including Kurt Russell and John Malkovich, and while some characters aren’t deeply developed, they still add to the exciting action.

Director Peter Berg is known for creating visually striking scenes, and Deepwater Horizon continues that trend. However, the film doesn’t aim to simply deliver thrilling action. Instead, the movie powerfully depicts the fear and chaos of the real-life disaster on the oil rig. Because the film is based on a true story, these scenes are particularly disturbing, creating a tense and frustrating experience for viewers, especially those aware of BP’s role in the tragedy.

I have to admit, Deepwater Horizon wasn’t my first thought for a relaxing night in, but it’s one of the new movies Netflix added this month, and it’s already pretty popular. I think having Mark Wahlberg in it definitely helps – he’s a familiar face, and it’s an easy choice if you’re in the mood for an action-packed film. It makes sense it’s doing well!

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2026-03-15 16:40