Sometimes you walk into a movie and have no idea what you are about to see. We stumbled blindly into this film and to our chagrin, we knew nothing of The Pike River Mine tragedy that took the lives of 29 miners in New Zealand back in 2010. That being said, Pike River will ensure that more and more people will become aware of it and they will be in awe of the two women who have tirelessly fought for all of these men. This is their story of perseverance in the face of setback after setback.
As we settle in, we see a quiet and calm community surrounded by the beautiful and majestic mountains of New Zealand. We meet two women who live in very normal homes with families and jobs within the community. Melanie Lynskey plays Anna Osbourne, married to her husband who works at the Pike River Mine. Robyn Malcolm plays Sonya Rockhouse whose ex-husband and son work there as well.
The men go off to work one day, and the families are notified of an explosion – but no other information is given. As the hours turn to days, the hope for these men returning home diminishes. There is another explosion and all of the families are told that everyone has been killed.
This horrific grief and overwhelming emptiness that descends on the families is heavy and they all feel lost within its confines. They decide to fight by settling into an exploration of what happened, suing the company who was in charge and ultimately, working to change legislation and laws in New Zealand.
These two women didn’t know each other and didn’t even like each other in the beginning, but they forge a bond that carries them through these nonstop battles. It brings them closer as they encounter one obstacle after another. The movie covers seven years of their tireless pursuit, and we see them grow and become stronger as time goes by.
There is absolutely gorgeous cinematography in this movie. Moments of calm nature and grey scenery that provides a brief respite from the grief and struggle in other scenes. We must all give a shout out to Melanie Lynskey. We knew she was a native New Zealander but hadn’t heard her kiwi accent in a movie before! Also, NZ band, Crowded House, provides the sound in a brief montage and their perfect anthem adds another layer of steadfast resolve in this film.
Pike River makes the audience question their own path if they were put in the way of unspeakable tragedy. Would you keep going? Would you seek justice for your loved one at whatever cost? I think we all would like to say yes to that notion and be as brave and strong as the two women who are still fighting this battle today in New Zealand.
Pike River is in theaters starting January 30, 2026. Visit the official website, here.
-By Jodi McDonough
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