How to Blow Up a Pipeline 2023

A young woman named Xochitl takes a bold step by slashing the tires of an SUV, leaving behind a striking yellow manifesto on its windshield. Set against the backdrop of Long Beach, California, Xochitl and her friend Theo experience firsthand the dire consequences of climate change, especially after Xochitl loses her mother during a brutal heat wave exacerbated by rampant pollution from nearby oil refineries. Their frustration mounts as they realize the sluggish pace of their university’s divestment initiative. Fueled by anger and urgency, especially as Theo receives a terminal cancer diagnosis linked to the pollution, they yearn for more radical, immediate action to combat the environmental crisis.

Together, Xochitl and Theo strive to rally support for their cause, persuading Alisha, Theo’s initially doubtful girlfriend, to join their ranks along with a diverse group of individuals who share their passion. Among them is Shawn, a film student connected through the divestment movement, who introduces them to Dwayne, a blue-collar Texan who harbors a deep-seated resentment toward an oil corporation that forcibly took his family’s ancestral land using eminent domain laws, leaving him and his pregnant wife homeless. They also enlist Michael, a self-taught explosives expert from a North Dakota reservation, as well as an adventurous couple, Rowan and Logan, both eager to contribute to the cause.

Driven by their unyielding belief that non-disruptive methods are no longer sufficient, this impassioned group crafts a daring plan to detonate homemade explosives along an unguarded stretch of a recently constructed oil pipeline in West Texas. The pipeline, partly situated on Dwayne’s land, provides them with invaluable insight, as he knows the terrain intimately. Their aim is to create a significant disruption—enough to force the company to halt its operations in Texas, which they believe will trigger a spike in crude oil prices globally, due to the impact it would have on West Texas crude indexing. Gathering at a secluded cabin, they commence their preparations, producing explosives and digging up a segment of the pipeline.

However, as they set their plan into motion, they encounter a myriad of setbacks. Distractions arise from alcohol consumption, leading to chaos among the crew. In a mishap, Michael inadvertently triggers a primer charge during their prep work, while a surveillance drone looms overhead, keeping an eye on their activities. Alisha faces a horrific accident when a barrel of explosives crashes onto her leg, causing a fracture. Furthermore, Rowan and Logan, assigned the critical task of halting local pollution by shutting down the flow of the pipeline, find themselves unexpectedly confronting armed company inspectors. In a clever diversion, Logan distracts the inspectors while Rowan courageously executes her mission, albeit at the cost of Logan sustaining a gunshot wound in the process.

Despite these numerous hurdles, the group ultimately succeeds in their audacious act—detonating the pipeline and creating a brilliant explosion. Following the event, Xochitl captures this moment of rebellion and empowerment, sharing a triumphant video on Instagram that calls for others to join the fight.

As chaos ensues post-explosion, the group hastily scatters. Rowan takes charge of Logan’s injuries, carefully extracting bullet fragments from his shoulder. In a tense twist, she covertly meets with two FBI agents, revealing that Xochitl intentionally included her in their dangerous plan. With Rowan’s insider knowledge, they manage to outsmart local and federal authorities, leading them to believe that only Theo and Xochitl played a role in the sabotage. In exchange for her cooperation, Rowan secures her freedom after previously facing consequences for a similar act, alongside a generous reward for her information. Meanwhile, Michael, Alisha, Shawn, and Dwayne quickly fabricate alibis that distance them from the explosion’s aftermath. Just moments after Theo and Xochitl set off their final bomb inside the cabin, the police discover their explosive-making hideout. As planned, the duo peacefully surrenders.

In the ensuing legal battle, Theo and Xochitl receive lengthy prison sentences, though tragedy strikes as Theo succumbs soon after. While the rest of the group evades capture, their family members grow suspicious of their involvement, drawing the attention of federal agents who keep them under scrutiny. The reflections on their choices linger, setting the stage for another act of rebellion. The film concludes with an explosive act by a trio of masked individuals who, inspired by the West Texas group, plant a bomb in a yacht in Miami, leaving behind the same yellow manifesto that started it all.