Pioneer

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Pioneer

R

Released Dec 5, 2014

1h 46m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

32%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

The ultimate adventure becomes a nightmare when a diver obsessed with reaching the bottom of the sea takes on the world's most dangerous mission.

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Critics Consensus

Pioneer boasts strong acting and a throwback conspiracy thriller vibe, but fails to take it far enough -- and is very slow about not getting there.

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Matthew Lickona

San Diego Reader

Director Erik Skjoldbjrg (Insomnia) makes excellent use of the high-tech, low-glamour world he depicts, and manages an ending that is happy without being farcically so.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 26, 2014

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Walter V. Addiego

San Francisco Chronicle

Skjoldbjaerg is unable to make us care as much as we should, and gives the film a kind of muddy look that translates directly into the viewer's mood.

Rated: 2/4

Dec 18, 2014

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Jordan Hoffman

New York Daily News

"Pioneer" has the necessary parts for a finger-pointing thriller that could boil the blood if handled well. Alas, this story of workers wounded by corrupt oil industrialists and politicians sinks from drawn-out scenes and too few surprises.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 5, 2014

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

It's an expertly manipulated film featuring some terrific underwater sequences and another intense performance from Aksel Hennie.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 12, 2019

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Alex Heeney

Seventh Row

It's an edge-of-your-seat film, with some stunning footage deep underwaterIt's an edge-of-your-seat film, with some stunning footage deep underwater, but the basic suspense plot frequently strains

Aug 15, 2017

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

With his ratty moustache and balding head, Hennie makes an unlikely leading man (if this were Hollywood, the chiselled Bentley would surely fit the bill), but he suits the film's dour, downbeat mood, reminiscent of 1970s paranoid conspiracy thrillers.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 12, 2016

Full Review

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Audience Member

Pioneer: An excellent drama/mystery/thriller with rich attention to detail, camera movement and commentary- all excelled by excellent preformances from its talaneted cast especially Stephen Lang and Askel Hennie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/30/19

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Audience Member

The ultimate adventure becomes a nightmare when a diver obsessed with reaching the bottom of the sea takes on the world's most dangerous mission.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Audience Member

The film does a fair job of introducing suspicion and danger as corporate interest usurps all in the North Sea oil race, but it arguably could have been better.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

Descent movie as i can remember from 5 days ago

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Audience Member

Conspiracy story from the early Norwegian oil-adventure. Enormous money at stake, foul play in motion. Young divers pushed to the edge and beyond of what a human can manage in order to dive into the abyss.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

A very well made psychological thriller

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

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Erik Skjoldbjærg

Director

Wes Bentley

Mike

Stephen Lang

Ferris

Aksel Hennie

Petter

Jonathan LaPaglia

Ronald

Stephanie Sigman

Maria

Critics Consensus: The Pyramid Is Cursed By A Silly Plot

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Synopsis

The ultimate adventure becomes a nightmare when a diver obsessed with reaching the bottom of the sea takes on the world's most dangerous mission.

Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg
Producer: Jessica Ask, Raimond Goebel, Christian Fredrik Martin, Marko Röhr
Screenwriter: Nikolaj Frobenius, Hans Gunnarsson, Erik Skjoldbjærg, Cathinka Nicolaysen, Kathrine Valen
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Friland, Pandora Filmproduktion, Film Väst, Garagefilm International AB, Matila Röhr Productions (MRP)
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Norwegian
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 5, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 5, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8K
Runtime: 1h 46m

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