Pike River (2026)

In 2010, 29 miners were killed in an explosion at Pike River mine in New Zealand. Their family members fought for accountability and to be reunited with the bodies of their loved ones for the next decade. In Pike River, a film coming to theaters in the U.S. on January 30th, the miners and the women who loved them are given a touching and heartwrenching tribute.

“Pike failed him. The law failed him. The government failed him.”

A monologue delivered by Robyn Malcolm, who plays Sonya Rockhouse, perfectly sums up the ache which I’m sure the families still feel to this day. Although I wasn’t familiar with Pike River prior to watching, the film itself and my independent research has made me deeply aware of how negligence on the part of the mine and the government agencies caused not only death, but unnecessary harm to those who love the deceased.

As someone from the United States, my knowledge of New Zealand politics is limited at best. The film did celebrate the Labour Party and specifically Jacinda Ardern. I have seen mixed feelings about this decision from those who are more educated on the topic, but I can appreciate the fact that for Sonya Rockhouse and Anna Osborne, the sympathy of the Labour party was in stark contrast to the mistreatment they suffered at the hands of Sir John Key and the National party.

My initial decision to watch Pike River was made entirely because of the starring role of Melanie Lynskey. Lynskey plays Osborne, a real-life woman who lost her husband in the mine explosion and led the charge for justice while battling cancer. Anna’s need for justice is portrayed beautifully by Lynskey. I felt for her and understood each of the choices she made. In a situation where the most powerful people are fighting against you, it’s easy to give up, but Osborne persevered and managed to inspire everyone else in the process.

The beating heart of this film is the relationship between Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse. Bonded by the deaths of their husband and son, respectively, they center their lives around achieving justice for the miners. Both of their stories are given time on their own and together, allowing the audience to understand the strengths each of them bring to the pairing. Neither would have been able to achieve as much if it weren’t for the support of the other.

I appreciate the way these women are shown as the brave people they are. There’s an instinct in films such as these to lionize the miners and focus the film on them. While there’s a place for that and the miners themselves absolutely deserve to be remembered, Osborne and Rockhouse are also the heroes of their stories. Their persistence in the face of adversity is important and deserves to be recognized.