Oil, Greed, and Old-School Drama: Watching Petróleo

If you're looking for something breezy or modern, keep walking. Petróleo isn't here to hold your hand or move at a breakneck pace. It’s a movie for people who like to stare at the screen and think about how much sweat and misery went into a single barrel of oil. If you hate dialogue-heavy scenes that feel like they were written by someone who really loves a dramatic monologue, you’re probably going to tap out by the halfway point.

The whole thing has this heavy, claustrophobic weight to it. You can practically smell the grease and the desperation. José Blanco brings a certain kind of tired intensity that I honestly didn't expect. It’s the kind of performance that makes you want to check your own pulse just to see if you're still awake.

There’s a scene about midway through—I can't even remember if it’s vital to the plot—where two of the guys are just leaning against a piece of machinery, talking about nothing. It lasts way longer than it needs to. It’s perfect. It feels like real people just killing time while the world burns around them.

It definitely isn't as punchy as Bang! or as weirdly charming as the stuff you see in Der Mitternachtswalzer. It’s its own animal. A bit slow, a bit dusty, and kind of stubborn.

The lighting is often so dark you’re squinting at the screen, which—let's be honest—is probably a stylistic choice but mostly just annoying. But, it works for the mood. It hides the fact that the set might be just a few planks of wood and a lot of imagination. 🤷‍♂️

Some quick notes from the notebook:

• The sound design? Pretty rough. Sometimes the voices sound like they're coming from a tin can.
• Iris Marga has this stare that could stop a clock. Truly.
• The ending feels like it just kind of… stopped. Not a resolution, just a door closing.

I found myself thinking about The American Prisoner while watching this, mainly because both films feel so trapped in their own little bubbles. They don't care if you're bored. They don't care if you get the subtext. They just exist.

It’s a flawed, messy, and occasionally brilliant look at human greed. Just don't go in expecting a blockbuster. It’s just a bunch of people shouting about oil in the dark. Honestly? I’ve seen worse ways to spend a Tuesday night. 🎥