Killer Flood: The Day the Dam Broke (2003) Movie Script
(triumphant music)
(tense music begins) (water dripping)
(water rushing) (tense music continues)
- [Newscaster] Today's rainfall anywhere from
one to three inches.
For Rutland and surrounding areas
continued unseasonably high temperatures and winter's
record setting snow pack are contributing to significant
melting.
The Department of Parks and Recreation predicts local lakes
and rivers will reach peak levels well before the
Memorial Day weekend.
They urge the public to exercise caution in the vicinity
of active waterways.
Over the next five days.
- Good thing we built this place or we'd all be swimming
to work.
- My guess is the water and the reservoir's going to
climb 32% in the next 48 hours.
We're going to hit the 300 mark.
- Never happen.
- Bet you a pair of tickets to tomorrow night's game.
- I bet you season seats, you're dreaming.
(alarm beeping)
We got a gusher in the pump room.
(water spraying) - I'm there now.
- How bad? - We can handle it.
Put the kid on.
- Go for Garth.
- Okay, Einstein, you want to work on my dam?
You better make sure you know the rules.
- Bring them on.
- Number one, no matter what happens,
keep your thumb in the hole.
Do you read me?
- Sorry, Bruce, won't happen again.
- Better not.
Hey, start mixing this cement, my brother, we got work to.
(loud banging)
(dam rumbling)
(Bruce grunts)
- Bruce.
Bruce!
(suspenseful driving music)
(Bruce grunting) (water rushing)
(driving music continues)
Hang on, Bruce, we're here!
- What happened?
- I don't know.
The roof fell in right when she breached.
- Help me under here!
On three; one, two.
- It's getting worse.
That wall's going to go!
- Shut up, we can get the wench!
(both grunting)
- Look!
This sector's going to flood,
then the whole dam will give way,
unless you guys seal off the compartment.
- Don't talk like that.
Grab that pipe.
- [Garth] Where is it?
- Wedge it under here.
- Frank, there isn't time.
You know it.
Seal it off.
(tense music) (water rushing)
- No! No, Bruce!
Bruce! - Get him out of here!
(Garth grunting)
Get him out!
- Don't you see? We're all going to die in here.
(tense music continues) (water rushing)
(dark music)
(council chattering)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please, let's settle.
- On behalf of the entire city council, I would like to
convey our deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones
of Waterworks engineer, Bruce Watkins,
who gave his life yesterday in the line of duty.
He was a hero,
he was a good friend
and he will be missed.
If you live in Rutland, Vermont, then the Rankin Dam
is a part of your life.
We called this hearing today so that we can find out
what went wrong up there yesterday so that a tragedy
like this will never happen again.
I would like to introduce Diane Perlis, who is the
Chief Inspector with the Division of Safety of Dams
in Washington DC.
Diane.
- Without a proper inspection, it's difficult for us to
establish an exact cause right away.
Having said that, we're relatively sure that it wasn't
caused by naturally occurring seismic event.
The bedrock embankments around the dam are still in pretty
good shape.
Is there a representative from Walker Enterprises here?
- I'm Matt Walker.
President of Walker Enterprises.
- According to my notes, your firm built the dam,
which was completed two summers ago.
Is that correct?
- We were the main contractor, but the design work was done
by an outside architect who also coordinated construction.
A man named David Arthur Powell.
However, 18 months into the project, he was fired due to
cost overruns.
- DSD oversaw construction, we know all this.
- As I recall, there were many reasons why the project
went over budget, it wasn't just David.
(Matt chuckles)
- Well, basically he just wanted to get famous for building
the greatest dam of all time.
- That's not true.
- And he went way behind schedule.
- People, please, what does this have to do
with the accident?
- Well, afterwards, after he had departed,
we began to realize that Mr. Powell's designs were
basically lacking.
See, the structure was over designed and under engineered.
A Titanic waiting to happen.
Stress ratios were subpar.
Reinforcement weren't up to code.
Well, he even wanted to use the wrong cement.
- Tell me something, Mr. Walker,
if there were so many flaws in the blueprints,
how did the dam ever pass inspection?
- My people took three years to overhaul Powell's designs.
Thanks to my engineers, that dam is structurally safe.
If it wasn't for them,
the building we're in would be underwater right now.
(David clapping)
- Excuse me. We're trying to have a meeting here.
- If you're going to throw a party in my honor,
the least you can do is invite me.
I'm David Powell.
The architect.
- He should not be part of this meeting.
- Ms. Perlis, in my opinion, the reservoir needs to be
drained and a full inspection done on the dam.
- The earliest we can do that is next month.
- Why not now?
- Because the city of Rutland just sold a futures contract
for all the electricity that dam can generate over the next
five years.
And we've already been paid for that commitment.
Now the dam is running at full capacity,
we shut it down now and we will bankrupt this city.
- Still, the pressure on the backside of the dam is immense,
the heaviest snow pack in 25 years is melted and all that
water is pressing against the dam.
Look, the bottom line is that dam failed yesterday,
and we need to find out why.
- It did not fail, it suffered a minor breach,
probably due to operator error.
It is completely reparable.
- Are you two finished?
Mr. Walker, I'm going to recommend to my agency that your
company gets started on making repairs.
- Glad to.
- And I promise you, sir, these repairs will pass
my inspection or you'll be working on it for the next year
at your expense.
Are we clear?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Please, Ms. Perlis, let me take your team up to the dam,
I can show you what I mean.
- Actually, Mr. Powell,
with your track record, I don't want you anywhere
near the dam.
(somber music)
- Hey, thanks for your helping there.
- I have a meeting with the mayor.
- You look great.
How's Garth doing?
- He was there.
Bruce is a good friend of his.
- I know, when I heard the news, I got on the first plane
I could.
- I don't have a lot of time for this,
what is it exactly that you want?
- I just wanted to talk to you.
Is that asking too much?
How about later?
- How about we don't?
- What's the matter with you?
- What's the matter with me? - Yes.
- You just show up at this meeting.
You don't even call me and tell me you're coming to town.
What's the matter with me?
- Come on.
(somber music continues)
(moody music)
(device beeping)
- No, no, no, the dam's fine.
It's fine, the guy opened the wrong valve.
The hearing?
Piece of cake.
DSD gave us a whole clean bill of health.
Yes, I certainly do realize that you hold me personally
responsible for delivering on the energy contract, yes, sir.
Listen, Mr. Saunders, Ken?
I was wondering, when you're here tomorrow,
maybe we could finally put pen to paper on our next step.
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
I'm still brokering for Rutland.
And of course you have my word that we can deliver.
You know, Ken, with a little fine tuning,
I think we might be able to double our output.
That dam is perfectly safe.
There's no reason why you and I can't move forward
from here.
So I'll see you tomorrow then?
Terrific. Terrific.
We'll put down some signatures and then still have time
to get out to the club.
(Matt chuckles)
All right.
I'll see you. Bye.
(light music)
(David knocking)
- Hi, Garth.
- Hi, dad.
- Getting to be a big guy.
Can I come in?
How's school going?
I heard you were taking some architecture courses.
- Yeah.
- I also heard you were working at the dam this summer.
- Just an internship.
- They decommissioned the Burlington Dam last fall.
That means yours is the tallest structure in the northeast.
Pretty cool, huh?
- Yeah.
- Frank called me and told me what happened.
I'm sorry you had to go through that.
- Honey, is someone at the door?
- You should have called first.
Hey sweetheart, where you going?
- I got homework.
- Why don't you stay here and spend some time with your dad?
- Garth.
Sorry about earlier.
I have to talk to you.
- David, please.
- It's about the dam.
- [Newscaster] One can only imagine the extent of damage
to this community.
It'll be literally years before they recover.
- That was St. Francis Dam in Spain.
600 people died in less than 30 minutes when a wall of water
wiped out everything in its path.
It didn't stop until it reached the ocean.
- You're trying to scare me?
- I did a GPS study on the dam.
It's moving.
Almost nine inches since we poured the base.
I don't don't know what the problem is up there, Natalie,
but we can't wait a month to find out.
- Your calculations could be wrong.
- Then let's see.
I need you to set up a meeting with the mayor.
- You're already having one.
D'Angelo goes in for bypass surgery tomorrow,
he appointed me interim a mayor till he gets back.
- Great.
Then you can order the inspection, we'll start draining
the reservoir first thing tomorrow.
- We're going with Walker's plan.
- Oh, that's perfect.
Walker's got everybody in his back pocket,
including my wife.
- That's not the way it is, and you know it.
- What if I'm right, Natalie?
- What if you are wrong?
If I shut down that dam prematurely, I could send the city
budget into deficit for years.
The people who voted for me are the same people
I grew up with; I'm not going to do that to them.
What do you smiling at?
- You remember that poli-sci class in college?
- Don't start this.
- Everyone in there was a cynic except you.
What was that old movie you took me to see
with Jimmy Stewart?
- "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
- You cried.
- So did you.
(both laughing)
- Please, Natalie, I'm asking you to trust me on this one.
- Oh, that's good.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Look, it is late.
I do not want to get into this with you.
- What is that supposed to mean? I want to know.
- You took off, okay?
I haven't seen you in five years. Your son hardly knows you.
- I asked you to come with me.
You know I couldn't get any work in this town.
- You could have stayed and fought this thing.
You could have started believing in yourself again.
- Yeah, that's a great idea, Mr. Smith,
but you can see that from our bedroom window.
- So what?
- So how do you expect me to wake up every morning to this
concrete reminder that I failed?
- You did not fail.
I watched you build that thing, you were amazing-
- You should have come with me to Philadelphia.
- You should have come back.
For five years I waited for you.
In this house, in our house.
- I know I came back here because of the dam,
but I wanted to see you.
I wanted to see Garth.
All these years, I keep thinking that maybe we can
try it again.
You could come to Philly with me.
- I filed on Thursday.
I'm done.
It's five years. I'm done.
(melancholy piano music)
- So what about the inspection?
- That's not going to happen.
- You know what?
I'm glad I left.
(melancholy piano music continues)
- [Radio Host] Up in the higher elevations, all that
snow pack continues to melt at a record rate,
contributing to a steady rise in reservoir water levels.
The rest of the week looks like it'll bring more of the same
high temperatures.
So, stay right here.
(gloomy music)
- Hey, Frank.
- Hey.
If it ain't the man with a plan.
How's it going, boss?
- Okay, okay.
It's been a long time, how you holding up?
- Jan and the kids wanted me to take the week off, but I
figured I'd come into work, beat myself up a bit.
- Hey, man, it wasn't your fault.
- I'm going to miss that guy.
- You check the level lately? It's up to 242.
- You kidding me? - No.
- Son of a.
You know we've never been past 200.
That's 81% of capacity.
- You might want to think about losing some pressure.
- [Matt] You did this in school?
- Yeah, yeah, that was my midterm.
- Nice work, nice.
You're not supposed to be here.
- The dam's moving.
I did a GPS on it yesterday.
- Moving? - Don't encourage him.
- Nine inches since we poured the base.
- Look, you are overreacting as usual.
Now, are you going to leave or do I have to call
the sheriff?
- Matt, check it yourself.
- Oh, come on, don't make me do this in front of your son.
- Think about it, the breach makes sense.
Open the tube, come on.
- Dad, you should leave!
- Yeah, Teddy, this is Matt.
Yeah, he showed up just like I thought he would.
Well, he's standing right in front of me
in the control room.
Yeah, well, make it snappy.
Deputy's on his way.
- We are looking at a triple threat here.
You've got the melting snow pack, the heavy rain up north,
with Burlington Dam out of the way, we're taking on all
her former volume.
That reservoir is rising faster than it ever has.
Millions of gallons of new water every day are pressing
against this wall right here.
We need to relieve this pressure.
- Save the dramatics, will you?
I know what you're doing.
You're trying to use the breach from the other day
to make me look like an idiot.
- Oh, please. - What's the matter?
You tired of teaching school?
You want to start designing again? Is that it?
- This has nothing to do with me.
- Oh yeah?
Well, you want everybody in the business to forget
how you almost killed this project with your inept designs,
and it's not going to work.
- Open the tube.
- We're not opening the tube.
- Why?
Why would you take a chance after that breach?
- Dad, come on!
Give it a rest.
- We don't have time for this.
- Wait, wait, what are you doing? What are you?
- No. (computer beeping)
- Well, shut it off.
Go on!
It's too late.
- It's at 82% now, that's wrong, it's filling up.
(alarm beeping)
- It's backing up into the mains.
(pipe bursts) (water spraying)
The valve room.
- Oh, this is just terrific.
First he messes with the plans and now he sabotages
the facility.
- What happened?
Your dad here punched the wrong sequence into the board.
- Is that true?
- Come on.
- Frank.
Frank!
(alarm sounding) (dramatic music)
(door slams)
(valve squeaking)
(door slams)
(dramatic music continues) (water rushing)
(valves squeaking)
- We've isolated the breach.
- You're going down hard this time, David.
- How bad is it?
- Valve room's completely flooded.
- We still got to relieve pressure.
Can we open up the front gate?
- Negative.
The valve we need the operates now completely underwater.
There's no getting to it.
- You never finished it, did you?
- Finished what?
- The tube.
The water must hit the bedrock and went right back
into the dam.
- Oh, Deputy Bloom.
Get him out of here.
- Come on. (tense music)
- Step foot on this property again, Mr. Powell,
I'm going to have to arrest you.
- You have family back in town?
- Yeah. Why?
- I'd get them to high ground if I were you.
(gate rattling)
- I'm sorry you had to see that.
Can you give us a moment?
- You want some coffee, Frank?
- Next time I tell you to do something,
you had better do it.
- Come on, David had a point.
He was only trying to help.
- Yeah, well you don't work for him anymore,
you work for me.
Unless you want to make some other arrangements.
Now, the president of First National Energy Traders
is going to be here at noon.
- Ken Saunders?
Ken Saunders is coming here?
- On his private jet, no less.
He's going to sign off on the Tri-State deal.
Finally!
And the last thing he needs to hear, Frank,
is that his dam is in danger of falling apart.
- Well, it's not exactly in mint condition.
- You think I don't know that?
Listen to me;
just let me get this deal signed, huh?
Then we'll start the repairs and everything will be fine.
- Yeah.
- Now the city of Rutland asked me to broker this contract,
Frank, if word gets out that we got problems,
we all lose.
You, me, this whole town.
I mean, they're depending on me.
So,
if anyone asks about this blow off tube thing,
you tell them it's David's fault.
(Frank groans)
And don't let him back in here.
- Evacuate the valley? Have you lost your mind?
- I think you should get everybody to high ground
just to be on the safe side.
- I can't just do that.
Do you have any idea what that entails?
- No, but you do.
- No, I don't.
- Well, you're the mayor, then, figure it out.
Hey, if anybody can pull this off, it's you.
- If you are wrong about this, I swear.
- I gave Rankin Dam and the better part of my life,
the last thing I want to believe is I designed a structure
that is this much of a mess.
- Is Garth still up there?
- Yeah, yeah, I'll send him home.
You just make sure you get everybody out of the valley.
My guess is that we have three hours before Rutland
is underwater.
- Your guess?
- Well, it's all guesswork until it's too late.
- David, I need something better than that.
Look, what I can do is this, I can put my department heads
on standby.
- Oh, come on!
- If you want a full evacuation, I need hard evidence.
- I'm afraid that's going to be the easy part.
(tense music)
- Thanks, Mr. Walker.
(gate rattling)
(tense music continues)
(espionage music)
(chains rattling)
(espionage music continues)
(phone ringing)
- Control room, this is Garth.
- [David] Yeah, it's me up down the pump gate.
Can you let me in, please?
- Could you please just leave?
I'm working here.
- Come on, before somebody sees me.
- I'm not letting you in.
- For crying out loud, I'm your father.
- Oh, is that what you are?
Thanks for reminding me.
- I don't deserve that.
I asked you to come visit me so many times.
- You're right.
And that was so generous of you.
Got a Kleenex? I'm getting all misty.
- I was wrong, all right?
I know we need to talk about this, but now is not the time.
- When is?
- Please, Garth, it's not safe.
- Tell me about it!
I watched Bruce die, okay.
And do you know why he's dead?
Huh?
Cause of you.
It makes me sick I'm even related to you.
I'm going to be an architect someday,
but there is no way I'm ever going to design a building
that'll kill people.
- What makes you so certain it was my fault?
- Because I saw the infrastructure popping out of the
north wall.
Those A-53 should have been 20 stem instead of the 10
you put in.
- 10 stem? I called for 30.
- 30's ridiculous.
- Yeah, why's that?
- Because it's way over code.
Especially with the 800 Series.
- That was the whole idea.
Something weird's going on in there.
Please, open the gate.
Let me go in there so I can figure this out.
Please?
- A stage two alert means I want your departments on standby
to evacuate the valley.
Sheriff Metcalf worked the hurricanes down in Palm Beach,
we're very lucky to have him.
He's your point person, and he reports directly to me.
- Have you talked to Mayor D'Angelo about this?
- He's going in for surgery today.
He'll be told as soon as his doctors give the okay.
- Yeah, well what about Matt Walker?
I mean, he built the dam, does he think it's in trouble?
- I haven't spoken to Mr. Walker.
(Sheriff chuckling)
- Now wait just a minute here, are you telling me that you
alone made this decision based entirely upon what your
husband said?
- That's right.
- Well, I was there when they built the dam.
No offense,
but I think the guy's a little bit off.
- Thank you for your evaluation of his mental state,
but I don't believe police work qualifies you
as a psychologist.
- Look, there's no reason for you to get smart with me.
- You are also not a structural engineer.
And I'm going to go with the opinion of someone who is.
Now the dam is in jeopardy,
as acting mayor, I do not need a consensus to call
a stage two alert.
We are doing this.
Let's get to it.
(tense music)
- Oh, man.
You trying to get me fired?
- Frank, she's going to bust, I know it.
- What makes you so sure all of a sudden?
- Because Garth tells me that the rebar at the breach
is 10 stem.
- Yeah, it is. So?
- So it was supposed to be 30.
Walker must have skimped.
Let me show you.
Here's our view of the dam looking upstream, right?
This is where the breach happened, right at the base.
Directly 100 feet above that is another section,
it's identical to the breached section and just
as vulnerable.
Above that, another 10 stem point, and above that,
another one.
Four vulnerable points going from the base of the dam
to the very top.
Now when the water level reaches 300 feet,
that's going to be 200 million pounds over design limits
pressing against that wall.
And guess what's going to happen?
- Do I have to?
- She's going to puncture there, there, and eventually there
and blow open like a double door.
- Goodbye Rutland.
- Exactly.
We've got to slow down this collapse, boys.
Give Natalie enough time to evacuate the town.
- How do we do that?
- Only one thing we can do; relieve pressure by losing
water, that's what the tube was for.
- We could blast open the tube.
- With what?
- C4.
There's a ton of it left over in construction.
- I love this kid.
- That's not a bad idea.
But I'm sure Walker left miles of that tunnel incomplete.
First the tunnel, then the 10 stem.
What happened, Frank, after I left?
Did Walker redraw everything or did he throw my plans out
altogether?
- All I know is I wish you could have stayed on.
(water bursting) (dramatic music)
Another breach.
- Where?
- About 100 feet right above the first one.
Second floor.
Just like you said.
- Are you sure about this?
I saw it on the way to work this morning,
it looked fine to me.
- Look, just trust me on the dam, okay?
I want you to alert your people that they may,
they may have to evacuate the hospital.
- [Janine] When? - I don't know, soon.
- Are you nuts?
I have people in ICU.
- Look, I don't like this anymore than you do.
- I got the mayor going into surgery any minute.
- Ship him to St. Rosemary's.
- He's not going to be very happy about that.
- Just ship him.
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
- [David] Are you there yet, Garth?
- Got it.
- What's wrong with your dam?
- Nothing that can't be fixed, why?
- Well, Natalie Powell's going around town telling people
the thing's going to bust.
- What?
- Yeah, she has us on standby to evacuate the town.
- Man, I was just up there, it's fine.
Don't do what she says.
- I have to. - Teddy.
Listen to me, will ya?
Do not evacuate the town.
Guess who's going to be here in the next, oh man.
- Not Kent Saunders?
- None other.
Now he's already made payment on the first round
of Energy Futures, millions worth.
If he sees you evacuating this valley,
well, he will kill the deal and he will want his money back.
- So give it to him.
- I can't.
- Why?
- It's gone.
- All of it?
Matt, where'd it go?
- Where did it go?
The mayor's new mall, last year's payroll, your campaign.
Yeah.
Now don't worry, Ted, word is Ken Saunders won't sue,
he'll prosecute all of us.
- What do you want me to do about Natalie?
- It's not her, it's her husband.
I will talk to her.
I'll see you.
(tense music)
- Water level's at 263.
That's 88% capacity.
- We got to bring that number down.
- How about that exhaust system?
- What about it?
- Well, if we reroute the water and
blow it out of the exhaust tower,
wouldn't that lower the pressure?
- Garth, please, don't be silly.
- No, no, no, wait a minute.
That's not such a bad idea.
- Those ducks are made to carry air, not water.
No, we need a B plan.
- This is the B plan.
Grid's still operational.
So we can do it from here.
- David, come out, we do that, we're going to flood
the warehouse district.
- So we'll have Natalie evacuate that area first.
- Okay, okay, now you're not even supposed to be in here.
I'm already going way out on a limb for you.
- What's the matter with you all of a sudden?
We're doing this.
- We can't.
The tower won't be able to handle the flow.
- Of course it will.
- It straddles the embankment.
- And your point is?
- It's not I-beam supported.
It's just sitting up there waiting to fall,
and when it does, the canyon wall's going to give away
and then the entire dam's going to come down quick.
- How do you know all this, Frank?
Come on, talk to me.
- You remember the inspector we had back then,
the guy with a high blood pressure?
Soon as we started blasting the canyon, Walker paid him
to look the other way.
Walker dipped into every phase of this project.
The exhaust tower, the tube, the rebar, the whole place,
he went big.
You didn't go over budget, it was Walker.
Made himself a very rich man.
Yeah
Your dad got set up, Garth.
Worst thing to ever happened to this place.
You should have seen you old man back then.
He was the best.
- In all these years, I thought it was me.
Is this inspector still around?
I need to have a conversation with him.
- He's dead.
- Why didn't you ever say anything?
- Well,
Walker needed somebody to run the place after you left.
And I got paid too.
(melancholy piano music)
I sit here
thinking about what happened the other day.
I just wish I could make it right.
- Help me make this work.
- Oh, I don't know, man.
- Come on.
What other choice do we have?
Internship's over.
- I'm not leaving.
This tower thing is my idea.
- Hey, Garth, I'm tired of looking at your ugly mug.
You're fired.
- Come on, son.
Get yourself to high ground.
(door slams)
- No, no, no, John, that is a fire department thing,
not a National Guard thing.
Just call me after you talk to him, okay?
Okay, bye.
Could you take this to Mr. Lynch's office?
He's expecting it.
(Matt knocking)
- Got a minute?
- Sure, but if you're here to change my mind,
it's not going to work.
- Actually, I wanted to make sure you were clear on what
happened this morning.
- Another accident. That's all I need to know.
- Well, did he mention that he caused it?
- I'm not buying that, Matt.
You and he have issues going way back.
- Hey, I was standing right there.
So was Frank, Garth.
Ask them. We all saw it.
- Saw what?
- Well, you know how impulsive David gets.
He initiated the wrong sequence, he rerouted the pressure
release into the mains.
He messed up again.
- So, how's the dam?
- There's nothing wrong with it.
Actually it is David that concerns me.
He's obsessed with the place.
- Okay, why is it that everyone in this town has an opinion
about his mental state?
- Well, I worked three years with the guy and
to me it was an important job, sure, but David, I mean,
his whole self worth was wrapped up in that project.
He also left town because of it.
You know, Natalie, I know how much
you two loved each other.
Why would a man in a good relationship
walk away from his wife and 12 year old son?
Because of problems at work?
I mean, that's crazy.
Oh, David is a frustrated artist.
What happened five years ago just devastated him.
But does that give him license to
destroy this town's economy?
This afternoon, Natalie, I am going to broker a contract
that will improve the lives of everyone we love.
I mean, instead of our kids leaving town first chance
they get, they will want to stay here.
They will want to stay here and raise their families here.
See, David's not a local like you and me.
He just doesn't get it.
Now, if you announce an evacuation,
First National Energy will kill that deal,
and all of that'll be gone for good.
Now I am asking you,
please,
call it off.
- Look, Matt,
I certainly do not want to be the one to kill the new deal,
but we are going to remain on a stage two alert.
Now, what I will do is this; I will wait for hard evidence
to come in before escalating.
Now if nothing comes in in the next couple of hours.
- Then you will call it off?
- Yes. I'll call it off.
- Good.
Good.
That's just great.
Listen, believe me, trust me,
there is nothing wrong with the dam.
Okay?
(tense music) (drill whirring)
(water pouring)
- We don't need to evacuate the whole town.
I just think you're overreacting.
- Walker got to you, didn't he?
What did he tell you, that I'm some kind of obsessed
freak, right?
- Something like that, yeah.
- [David] And do you believe him?
- I don't know what to believe anymore.
All I know is that you walked away, and I cannot trust that.
- I came back, didn't I?
- Not for me and Garth, you came back for the dam.
It's always about the dam with you.
- You're right, you're right.
Walker's right, I am obsessed, I have to be obsessed.
How else can you spend years of your life dreaming about
something, planning it, designing it?
None of this was ever supposed to happen.
This was supposed to be the best ever built.
I wanted to protect the town, take care of everybody,
especially you and Garth.
This thing was supposed to last forever.
You and I never even used to fight until I lost this job.
You know, I'm starting to wish I never built this thing.
- Me too.
- She's not going to hold.
Walker skimped on the rebar.
That's why she's been breaching.
- Can you prove that?
- You come on down here, I'll cut a hole in the wall
and show you.
- No, we would have to show it to a lot of people.
Look, I can get the federal inspectors to fly back in.
- We don't have the time, the structure's not going to
make it through the day.
Best thing we can do is buy some time by running off
pressure.
- Well, how are you going to do that?
- Plan is, we're going to do expulsion out of the
exhaust tower.
You need to clear the warehouse district immediately.
- No, I just told Walker that I wouldn't.
- We have to do this. We don't have a choice.
I'll call you in a bit.
- David, David!
Lauren, get me the sheriff.
(tense music)
(water bursting)
- There it is.
- [Frank] Third floor, right above the last one.
- That's one section we can't seal off.
- The only way to stop it is lower the reservoir and plug it
with wall spreaders.
- What's taking her so long?
- We have to evacuate.
- Look, I talked to Walker, he said the dam is fine.
And Deputy Bloom, he was up there this morning.
They got everything under control.
- I am ordering you to evacuate the warehouse district.
Now, are you going to do it or not?
- No.
- Do you realize what you're saying?
- Fully aware.
- Then I am relieving you of your duties.
Officer Bloom, you're the new sheriff.
- You can't do that.
- Check the city charter under civil emergencies.
You are excused.
Ready? - Um.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Let's get to work.
- Natalie, you have no idea what you're getting into here.
Good luck.
(siren whirring)
- I need everyone to evacuate the area immediately.
(siren whirring) (people chattering)
- Come on, keep moving.
- Turn around and move to the east parking, that way.
That way. We need to keep moving, folks.
Come on, folks, keep moving.
(water rushing) (tense music)
- How close are you?
- Standby.
Sheriff, what's your status?
- Most of the buildings are clear.
There's only a few more to go.
- Well, I need a timeframe, Bloom.
- Five, maybe 10 more minutes.
- Sir, I'm sorry, we have to clear the area.
- No, I need to get my truck.
- We have to evacuate this area-
- Look my dog's missing, I need my truck to find the dog.
- We'll find your dog. - I'll find my dog myself,
I need my truck.
- I lied, now I've got a shop owner that won't leave.
(men grunting) (tense music)
- We need to evacuate this area!
Sir, relax, sir! - No!
- We need to evacuate the area!
- All right, all right!
All right.
(tense music continues)
(water rushing)
- [Frank] She's coming undone.
- We can't wait much longer.
- Hold on, I've got people out here!
- Let's go, boss, make the call.
- I got to do this now.
- You will hold until I give the word.
Deputy Bloom, let's move it!
What happened to the shopkeeper?
- I scared him away.
- Then let's go.
- We're out of here. - Let's move out.
(tires screeching) (sirens shirring)
- You're clear!
- Go.
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
- Tower's already starting to compromise.
- We just opened it up.
(tense music)
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
- Come on.
Come on, boy, we have to go, come on.
Come on, come on.
Come on, come on, comer here, come to the car,
come on!
(dog barks)
Come on, come on!
Come on!
Come on! Come here!
(dog barks)
(suspenseful music)
Come on.
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
(water splashing) (glass shattering)
(water crashing) (dramatic music)
- Have to shut it down or it's going to detach.
- Okay, okay. Do it! (switches clacking)
(water rushing)
Why isn't it working?
- It was never meant to do this.
I can't shut it off.
- All right, then we got to go manual. Come on!
(dramatic music) (water crashing)
(dog panting) (Natalie gasping)
(dramatic music)
(dog barking)
(lid creaking)
(dramatic music continues) (water rushing)
- Okay, that's a good boy.
Come on, in you go.
Come on.
(lid slams)
(water crashing)
(water crashing) (Natalie gasping)
(dog whimpering)
(water crashing)
- Go! (both grunting)
- She ain't moving. Pressure's too much.
(water rushing)
If we don't get this, tower's going to detach.
- I know.
- The whole dam's going to be coming down.
- I know! Would you just shut up and push?
(water rushing)
(Natalie gasping) (dog whimpering)
- Come on. - Move!
(pipe clangs)
(wheel creaking) (all grunting)
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
(Matt groans)
(phone beeping)
- Come on, come on.
I can't get through.
Get me the mayor's office.
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
- I thought you went home.
- I never left.
Don't tell me I got to go.
- I wouldn't think of it.
- Think we should put him on the payroll?
- Absolutely.
(water splashing) (relieving music)
(Frank shouts) - [Garth] All right!
- We did it, boys.
Way to go, Garth.
(tense music) (water dripping)
(dog whimpering)
- We're okay.
(lid creaking)
(tense music)
(dam creaking)
(bolts popping) (water rushing)
- Get down!
(bolts popping) (water rushing)
Frank!
Stay down, Garth.
(bolts popping) (water rushing)
(Frank groans)
Are you all right?
- Yeah.
Dad, that was wild.
I'm sorry dad, but this place is a joke.
- What do you know.
One of those suckers ran right through me.
(tense music)
- Garth, call the hospital!
- No!
No, you take care of business.
- You're going to be all right, Frank.
You're going to be all right.
- Hope I didn't let you down, boss.
- Oh no, you did great.
- In my office,
there's a folder of receipts,
deal memos, everything you need, proof that Walker ransacked
the job.
I held on to it, thought some day I might need it.
Now look, you guys are going to have to
patch up that breach on third floor, okay?
You do me a favor.
- Anything.
- You don't let her fall until everybody is out of town.
I'm going to rest a little bit, if you don't mind.
- No, no, no, no.
You rest. I don't mind.
We're going to get you out of here, man.
I promise. - Been a long day.
(somber piano music)
(dramatic music)
- [David] I'm sorry, you sure you're okay?
- David, I'm fine. How's the dam?
- We sealed up the breach as best we could,
but the water level's back up to 284.
If it gets to 300, I'm afraid she's going to come down.
At this rate, we've got got an hour at best.
Got everybody ready?
- Everybody's on standby, they're just waiting for me
to give the word.
- For what it's worth, we're not going to be the ones
who destroyed this town.
Walker did it years ago.
- What are you talking about?
- I've got documentation here that proves that Walker
compromised the dam.
He was a master at hiding everything from the DSD.
- [Garth] You should see this, mom.
Walker blew it.
- Garth, what are you still doing there?
- Helping dad.
- Well, where's Frank?
- He's dead.
- Oh, no.
- We had another accident.
- Garth, I want you to get out of there right now.
- Sorry, this is my job.
- No, no, no! You listen to me-
- Hey!
You're the one who wants me to spend more time
with Dad, right?
- You are just as stubborn as your father is.
I'm serious.
- Excuse me, but I think he gets that from you.
Hey, wait a minute, we're going to try something else
to lower the water level, then we're getting out of here.
Garth, you said we had some C4?
- Yeah. - [David] Go get it.
- David, I don't like the sound of that.
- Don't you worry. I know what I'm doing.
- Okay, well, I'm going to get started kicking everybody out
of their homes.
- All right, mayor. Good luck.
(dark music)
- Any luck with the mayor's office?
- [Secretary] I've left three messages.
I said it was urgent, I can't seem to get a call back.
- All right, I'm going to talk to her again.
Bring my car around, will you?
- [Secretary] Mr. Saunders just got here,
I actually told him we were tied up on a call.
Do you want me to tell him you need a few more minutes?
- Show him in.
Ken. - Matt.
- Good to see you. Good to see you.
Please, gentlemen, have a seat.
So how was your flight?
- Interesting.
So we're coming in for a landing, right?
- [Matt] Right. - Right.
Now I look out the window and I see
warehouses completely flooded.
Quite a sight.
Care to explain that?
- Well, Ken, we've had some challenges,
I won't pretend that we haven't.
The faster we relieve pressure, the sooner we can get
a repair crew in there.
See, the tube wasn't doing the job quickly enough,
so we had to improvise.
It was messy.
Really messy.
But it was something that we had to do in order to meet
our production schedule with you.
- And that was your idea?
- Yes.
- I'm impressed.
When can we tour the facility?
- Anytime.
- In light of the events a few days ago,
we changed some of the terms of the agreement.
First National needs an out.
If anything goes wrong at Rankin dam, the deal's off.
- Yeah, well, with all do respect, Ken, that is not what we
agreed to.
- Matt, this is not a negotiable point.
You either take it or leave it.
- Fine.
Shall we?
(suspenseful music)
- This should be enough to blow off a piece of the top lip.
Drain the reservoir enough to buy mom some time.
Worked forever on this place, now blowing a hole in it.
- Mom said you used to swim in this river when you were
a kid?
- Oh yeah.
My family would come up here on vacation.
Building this dam was a dream come true.
- Why'd you leave?
- What'd your mom tell you?
- Whenever I bring it up, she says to ask you.
- Well, we were in the middle of construction,
everything was going great,
then all of a sudden they tell me the project's over budget.
I thought it was all my fault.
I had no idea what Walker was doing until today.
And then Walker, he gets me fired, tells everybody in the
business that I'm completely unreliable.
After that, nobody would hire me.
I had to give up designing all together.
And being an architect, that's all I ever wanted to do.
You know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- After that, I hit rock bottom.
Your mother and I, we started having problems.
So,
I found a teaching job in Philly.
I didn't want to leave,
but I got to admit, I became pretty unbearable to be around.
And I was afraid if I stayed, my son would've grown up
to hate me.
- Don't worry.
That happened anyway.
But,
I think he might be able to get over it.
- Hey,
I'm sorry about Bruce.
- I'm sorry about Frank.
- Yeah.
Let's get out of here.
- I'm ready to do this if you want me to, ma'am.
- You're making me nervous, Bloom.
- Don't get me wrong, you're doing a great job as mayor
and all, I just think maybe you should give the job back
to Sheriff Metcalf.
- Is that so?
- I'm just a little uncomfortable with the position,
being how I've only been in the department a couple years.
- Well, Sheriff Metcalf just drove out of town
30 minutes ago, so you were the most experienced officer
that I have.
Now you took an oath, didn't you?
- Yeah.
I did.
- Okay, look,
it's my first day on the job too.
I'll make you a deal;
I'll pretend to be the mayor,
you pretend to be the sheriff.
Just for one day.
And we won't tell anybody that we don't know
what we're doing, okay?
A deal?
- Okay.
- Okay. Let's go do it.
- [Officer] Citizens of Rutland, by order of the office
of the mayor, the entire downtown area is under
mandatory evacuation procedures.
Please leave the area immediately and proceed
to higher ground.
Repeat: the office of the mayor has ordered immediate
evacuation of downtown Rutland.
Please, remain calm and leave the area immediately.
- I need more time!
- [Natalie] How much?
- You said I'd have two hours.
- Janine, you have 45 minutes.
- That's impossible, I haven't got the personnel
to pull that off, let alone the transportation!
- How about school buses?
- What?
- No, we can take out the seats to use them like trucks.
- Maybe, but I'll need manpower.
- Okay, I can get you the National Guard,
I'll get you the best EMTs they've got.
- That might work.
Oh, by the way, the mayor's still in surgery.
- I thought you moved him!
- He refused.
But he's the last stop on the schedule.
- Okay, you let me know the minute he's ready to roll,
and I mean the very second.
(tense music)
(siren whirring)
- What the?
- [Officer] The area is under mandatory evacuation
procedures.
Please leave the area immediately and proceed
to higher ground.
Please, evacuate the area immediately.
I repeat: this an emergency evacuation.
(people panicking)
- Matt, I am very disappointed.
- I can explain.
You know that architect that I was telling you about-
- Save it.
Deal's off.
(phone ringing)
- Matt Walker.
- I guess you heard the news.
- We discussed this, you call this off right now.
- Too late.
- Look, I need you to work with me on this.
I put D'Angelo in that office.
Now he's retiring in November, I can help you, Natalie.
- You forget who you're talking to.
- You are killing this town!
There is nothing wrong with that dam!
- There's nothing wrong with the rebar?
The blow off tube? What about the exhaust tower?
- Oh, come on, you don't know anything about these
facilities, you don't know how they work.
- Oh, I think I have a general understanding.
I married the architect, remember?
We know what you did. We have the paper to prove it.
Now this is an official warning;
it's not coming from the mayor's office,
this is coming from me,
you had better run for high ground.
- Someone's lying to you.
Who told you this?
(phone beeps)
(tense music)
- Frank.
- Okay, Garth, let's move it!
- Dad, we're at 296.
That's 98% capacity.
- We have to hurry up and do this.
Detonator. Come on.
- What the?
(suspenseful music)
What is he up to?
(suspenseful music continues)
- Where's Frank?
- He's dead.
- I saw that C4, you're going to blow the dam?
- We're trying to keep it standing.
Don't you see what's going on?
40,000 people live in that valley.
What were you thinking?
Come on, let's do this together.
- On three. Ready?
One, two, three.
(buttons clicking)
- Hey.
(cables thud)
- [Garth] The blasting caps.
- What are you doing?
(water bursting) (all grunting)
(David yelling)
(Matt grunting)
(David yelling)
Open the door, you can't just leave us!
Open the door!
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
God, it's worthless!
We got to get through that manifold!
- We're stuck just like Bruce!
- Garth, look at me!
Garth, look at me!
I missed the last five years, there's no way I'm missing
any more.
We have to find a wrench okay?
Okay? - Okay.
(dramatic music continues) (water rushing)
- I think I found it.
I got it, let's go.
(tools clattering)
A wrench.
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
(wheel squeaking)
(lid pops) (David gasps)
Garth!
(David grunting)
(lip slams)
(wheel cranking)
(anxious music)
Garth.
Garth.
Garth.
(David panting)
Garth.
Come on!
(David panting)
(anxious music continues)
Come on, Garth.
You're not allowed to do this.
Come on! Breathe!
(David blowing)
I'm not going to let you do this.
I'm not going to let you take away my boy.
(David crying)
Come on, Garth.
Please!
One, two, three! (Garth coughing)
Breathe! Breathe!
Breathe.
Are you okay? You okay?
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
(both panting)
Let's not tell your mom about this, okay?
Oh, thank you.
(phone ringing)
- How we doing?
- Nine out of 12 sectors report clear.
- [Speaker] Unit seven reports clear.
- Make it 10.
Two to go.
By the way, where's your husband?
- Oh, he's up at the dam, he's trying to buy us
some more time.
(phone ringing) Yeah?
- She's coming apart as we speak.
- [Natalie] How much time do we have?
10, 15 minutes at the most.
- You guys have got to get out of there.
- We will, don't worry.
Please, please tell me the valley's empty.
- No, still got hundreds of people to move,
not to mention the hospital.
- Dad, the valve room is clear.
- We tried everything we possibly can.
Wait, what'd you say?
- I drilled some holes in the basement ceiling.
- Hang on. When?
- After you told me to go home, I never left.
Took a while to drain up, but now the valve room's clear.
I just checked.
- We might be able to finally open up front gate,
that should relieve some pressure.
- Enough to keep her standing?
- No, she's going to fall down regardless.
But this should be enough to give you the time you need.
Listen, I'll call you later.
Come on.
- Okay.
(driving music)
(Garth panting)
(door clanks)
- We got this. Ready?
(valve creaking) (both grunting)
(indistinct)
(water rushing)
(dam rumbling)
- What's happening?
- She's shifting cause we released pressure.
- Well, is that a good thing?
- Yeah, sort of.
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
Keep going!
(valve creaking)
(suspenseful music) (water splashing)
- It's completely flooded out there.
We're not getting out of here, are we?
- We're 12 for 12. All sector's clear.
- Great. Except for the hospital, everybody's out.
(phone ringing)
- David?
- [Garth] It's me.
- Where are you?
- Still inside the dam, and we've
done everything we can.
- Well, get out of there, both of you.
- I love you, mom.
(somber music)
- How you doing?
- What's going on?
- I don't think we're going to make it out here.
- What?
- We got the front gate open, we got as much time
as we could for you, but we're trapped in here now.
- You can't be serious, I thought you-
- I know, so did I.
I'm sorry.
- Oh my.
- Real proud of our son.
You would be too.
- Well, I don't want to be proud of him,
I want you guys out of there!
David, are you still there?
- Yeah, I'm here.
Natalie, I was wrong.
I never should have left.
I make up images in my mind of what things probably
looked like.
His graduation, his birthdays,
that camping trip you guys took.
And I try fooling myself into thinking I was there,
but it never works cause I wasn't there at all.
I'm sorry about all that lost time.
I'd give anything right now to have a real memory.
- No, no, no, no.
- Listen,
you get up that hill, okay?
Get yourself as high as you can go.
Get out of here.
You've done your job.
- David.
David, I love you.
David, I've always loved you and I've missed you so much.
Every single day, I've thought about you,
and I know that I never said it enough, but I love you.
I love you so much.
- I love you too, Mr. Smith.
I always have.
(emotional music)
- Hospital's clear.
They just closed up the mayor and they're driving away
any second.
(all cheering)
Miss Powell, did you hear?
- Pack it up.
(emotional music continues)
(diabolical music)
- I know you wanted to talk, so-
(Garth shushing)
- I'm thinking.
This is level two, east quadrant alpha, right?
- Yeah, I think that's right.
- Does cooling vent number 27 Charlie run horizontally
or vertically?
- I don't know, it's been a long time.
- Horizontally.
It's right down this wall, isn't it.
- Yeah, I think so, but I can't be sure.
Have you been looking at my blueprints of this place?
- Actually, I'm doing a report on it for my senior review.
- Really?
- All we got to do is get to that vent and we're good.
Let's hope it's not flooded.
- Yeah, but even so that wall's 18 inches thick,
there's no way we can get through that.
(David laughs)
- [Bloom] All right, folks, let's keep moving!
We have a second van arriving momentarily.
- [Speaker 1] Okay, watch your step now.
- [Speaker 2] That's it, that's it.
- [Speaker 1] Keep moving.
- [Bloom] Let's go!
(people chattering) (siren whirring)
- Come on, folks, let's keep moving.
Miss Powell, we got to go.
(phone ringing) - Hello?
- Somebody in this family gave birth to a genius.
We're getting out of here.
- Oh!
I'm coming to meet you! Where you going to be?
- Forget about, it's too dangerous.
- No! Where?
- [David] Top of the creek bed.
- Okay, I'll be right there.
Bloom, give me your car keys!
- Where are you going?
- Get these people up the hill.
- Natalie!
(dramatic music)
(C4 exploding)
(driving music)
- Go!
(driving music continues) (vent thumping)
(tense music)
(both thumping)
(tense music)
(driving music)
- Which way?
- I don't know, it's been a long time.
- Left?
- Left. - Right.
- Right.
(door bursts) (water rushing)
(tense music)
(grate banging)
(tense music continues)
(water rushing)
(horn honks)
- Mom!
- [David] Natalie!
- Mom, down here! - Garth!
- You guys got to move! Let's go!
- Come on, come on, come on!
- I'll drive.
(dramatic music) (engine revving)
(dam exploding)
(dramatic music continues) - [Garth] Oh no!
(water roaring)
Step on it!
(van revving)
(dramatic music continues)
- [Natalie] Careful, David!
(van revving)
(tires screeching)
(water rumbling) (dramatic music)
(water crashing)
(engine revving)
(van thumping)
- [Garth] Dad, watch out!
(lawn ornaments shattering)
(fence crashing)
(Natalie screams) (water splashing)
(van crashing)
(tires screeching)
(driving music)
(water roaring)
(trunk slams)
(water crashing)
(Matt yells)
(dramatic music)
- Faster, dad!
Look, we're not going to make it!
- Yes we are, hang on!
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
(people chattering)
(water crashing) (dramatic music)
- We can't outrun it, there's no place else to go.
- I got an idea.
(tires screeching)
(van crunches)
(tires screeching)
(water roaring)
(van scraping)
(water crashing)
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
- The force of the water should have wiped out
this whole structure.
How come we didn't?
(Garth chuckles)
Don't tell me;
you're the architect.
- The best?
(triumphant music) (town cheering)
(somber music begins)
(fireworks exploding)
(triumphant music)
(tense music begins) (water dripping)
(water rushing) (tense music continues)
- [Newscaster] Today's rainfall anywhere from
one to three inches.
For Rutland and surrounding areas
continued unseasonably high temperatures and winter's
record setting snow pack are contributing to significant
melting.
The Department of Parks and Recreation predicts local lakes
and rivers will reach peak levels well before the
Memorial Day weekend.
They urge the public to exercise caution in the vicinity
of active waterways.
Over the next five days.
- Good thing we built this place or we'd all be swimming
to work.
- My guess is the water and the reservoir's going to
climb 32% in the next 48 hours.
We're going to hit the 300 mark.
- Never happen.
- Bet you a pair of tickets to tomorrow night's game.
- I bet you season seats, you're dreaming.
(alarm beeping)
We got a gusher in the pump room.
(water spraying) - I'm there now.
- How bad? - We can handle it.
Put the kid on.
- Go for Garth.
- Okay, Einstein, you want to work on my dam?
You better make sure you know the rules.
- Bring them on.
- Number one, no matter what happens,
keep your thumb in the hole.
Do you read me?
- Sorry, Bruce, won't happen again.
- Better not.
Hey, start mixing this cement, my brother, we got work to.
(loud banging)
(dam rumbling)
(Bruce grunts)
- Bruce.
Bruce!
(suspenseful driving music)
(Bruce grunting) (water rushing)
(driving music continues)
Hang on, Bruce, we're here!
- What happened?
- I don't know.
The roof fell in right when she breached.
- Help me under here!
On three; one, two.
- It's getting worse.
That wall's going to go!
- Shut up, we can get the wench!
(both grunting)
- Look!
This sector's going to flood,
then the whole dam will give way,
unless you guys seal off the compartment.
- Don't talk like that.
Grab that pipe.
- [Garth] Where is it?
- Wedge it under here.
- Frank, there isn't time.
You know it.
Seal it off.
(tense music) (water rushing)
- No! No, Bruce!
Bruce! - Get him out of here!
(Garth grunting)
Get him out!
- Don't you see? We're all going to die in here.
(tense music continues) (water rushing)
(dark music)
(council chattering)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please, let's settle.
- On behalf of the entire city council, I would like to
convey our deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones
of Waterworks engineer, Bruce Watkins,
who gave his life yesterday in the line of duty.
He was a hero,
he was a good friend
and he will be missed.
If you live in Rutland, Vermont, then the Rankin Dam
is a part of your life.
We called this hearing today so that we can find out
what went wrong up there yesterday so that a tragedy
like this will never happen again.
I would like to introduce Diane Perlis, who is the
Chief Inspector with the Division of Safety of Dams
in Washington DC.
Diane.
- Without a proper inspection, it's difficult for us to
establish an exact cause right away.
Having said that, we're relatively sure that it wasn't
caused by naturally occurring seismic event.
The bedrock embankments around the dam are still in pretty
good shape.
Is there a representative from Walker Enterprises here?
- I'm Matt Walker.
President of Walker Enterprises.
- According to my notes, your firm built the dam,
which was completed two summers ago.
Is that correct?
- We were the main contractor, but the design work was done
by an outside architect who also coordinated construction.
A man named David Arthur Powell.
However, 18 months into the project, he was fired due to
cost overruns.
- DSD oversaw construction, we know all this.
- As I recall, there were many reasons why the project
went over budget, it wasn't just David.
(Matt chuckles)
- Well, basically he just wanted to get famous for building
the greatest dam of all time.
- That's not true.
- And he went way behind schedule.
- People, please, what does this have to do
with the accident?
- Well, afterwards, after he had departed,
we began to realize that Mr. Powell's designs were
basically lacking.
See, the structure was over designed and under engineered.
A Titanic waiting to happen.
Stress ratios were subpar.
Reinforcement weren't up to code.
Well, he even wanted to use the wrong cement.
- Tell me something, Mr. Walker,
if there were so many flaws in the blueprints,
how did the dam ever pass inspection?
- My people took three years to overhaul Powell's designs.
Thanks to my engineers, that dam is structurally safe.
If it wasn't for them,
the building we're in would be underwater right now.
(David clapping)
- Excuse me. We're trying to have a meeting here.
- If you're going to throw a party in my honor,
the least you can do is invite me.
I'm David Powell.
The architect.
- He should not be part of this meeting.
- Ms. Perlis, in my opinion, the reservoir needs to be
drained and a full inspection done on the dam.
- The earliest we can do that is next month.
- Why not now?
- Because the city of Rutland just sold a futures contract
for all the electricity that dam can generate over the next
five years.
And we've already been paid for that commitment.
Now the dam is running at full capacity,
we shut it down now and we will bankrupt this city.
- Still, the pressure on the backside of the dam is immense,
the heaviest snow pack in 25 years is melted and all that
water is pressing against the dam.
Look, the bottom line is that dam failed yesterday,
and we need to find out why.
- It did not fail, it suffered a minor breach,
probably due to operator error.
It is completely reparable.
- Are you two finished?
Mr. Walker, I'm going to recommend to my agency that your
company gets started on making repairs.
- Glad to.
- And I promise you, sir, these repairs will pass
my inspection or you'll be working on it for the next year
at your expense.
Are we clear?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Please, Ms. Perlis, let me take your team up to the dam,
I can show you what I mean.
- Actually, Mr. Powell,
with your track record, I don't want you anywhere
near the dam.
(somber music)
- Hey, thanks for your helping there.
- I have a meeting with the mayor.
- You look great.
How's Garth doing?
- He was there.
Bruce is a good friend of his.
- I know, when I heard the news, I got on the first plane
I could.
- I don't have a lot of time for this,
what is it exactly that you want?
- I just wanted to talk to you.
Is that asking too much?
How about later?
- How about we don't?
- What's the matter with you?
- What's the matter with me? - Yes.
- You just show up at this meeting.
You don't even call me and tell me you're coming to town.
What's the matter with me?
- Come on.
(somber music continues)
(moody music)
(device beeping)
- No, no, no, the dam's fine.
It's fine, the guy opened the wrong valve.
The hearing?
Piece of cake.
DSD gave us a whole clean bill of health.
Yes, I certainly do realize that you hold me personally
responsible for delivering on the energy contract, yes, sir.
Listen, Mr. Saunders, Ken?
I was wondering, when you're here tomorrow,
maybe we could finally put pen to paper on our next step.
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
I'm still brokering for Rutland.
And of course you have my word that we can deliver.
You know, Ken, with a little fine tuning,
I think we might be able to double our output.
That dam is perfectly safe.
There's no reason why you and I can't move forward
from here.
So I'll see you tomorrow then?
Terrific. Terrific.
We'll put down some signatures and then still have time
to get out to the club.
(Matt chuckles)
All right.
I'll see you. Bye.
(light music)
(David knocking)
- Hi, Garth.
- Hi, dad.
- Getting to be a big guy.
Can I come in?
How's school going?
I heard you were taking some architecture courses.
- Yeah.
- I also heard you were working at the dam this summer.
- Just an internship.
- They decommissioned the Burlington Dam last fall.
That means yours is the tallest structure in the northeast.
Pretty cool, huh?
- Yeah.
- Frank called me and told me what happened.
I'm sorry you had to go through that.
- Honey, is someone at the door?
- You should have called first.
Hey sweetheart, where you going?
- I got homework.
- Why don't you stay here and spend some time with your dad?
- Garth.
Sorry about earlier.
I have to talk to you.
- David, please.
- It's about the dam.
- [Newscaster] One can only imagine the extent of damage
to this community.
It'll be literally years before they recover.
- That was St. Francis Dam in Spain.
600 people died in less than 30 minutes when a wall of water
wiped out everything in its path.
It didn't stop until it reached the ocean.
- You're trying to scare me?
- I did a GPS study on the dam.
It's moving.
Almost nine inches since we poured the base.
I don't don't know what the problem is up there, Natalie,
but we can't wait a month to find out.
- Your calculations could be wrong.
- Then let's see.
I need you to set up a meeting with the mayor.
- You're already having one.
D'Angelo goes in for bypass surgery tomorrow,
he appointed me interim a mayor till he gets back.
- Great.
Then you can order the inspection, we'll start draining
the reservoir first thing tomorrow.
- We're going with Walker's plan.
- Oh, that's perfect.
Walker's got everybody in his back pocket,
including my wife.
- That's not the way it is, and you know it.
- What if I'm right, Natalie?
- What if you are wrong?
If I shut down that dam prematurely, I could send the city
budget into deficit for years.
The people who voted for me are the same people
I grew up with; I'm not going to do that to them.
What do you smiling at?
- You remember that poli-sci class in college?
- Don't start this.
- Everyone in there was a cynic except you.
What was that old movie you took me to see
with Jimmy Stewart?
- "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
- You cried.
- So did you.
(both laughing)
- Please, Natalie, I'm asking you to trust me on this one.
- Oh, that's good.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Look, it is late.
I do not want to get into this with you.
- What is that supposed to mean? I want to know.
- You took off, okay?
I haven't seen you in five years. Your son hardly knows you.
- I asked you to come with me.
You know I couldn't get any work in this town.
- You could have stayed and fought this thing.
You could have started believing in yourself again.
- Yeah, that's a great idea, Mr. Smith,
but you can see that from our bedroom window.
- So what?
- So how do you expect me to wake up every morning to this
concrete reminder that I failed?
- You did not fail.
I watched you build that thing, you were amazing-
- You should have come with me to Philadelphia.
- You should have come back.
For five years I waited for you.
In this house, in our house.
- I know I came back here because of the dam,
but I wanted to see you.
I wanted to see Garth.
All these years, I keep thinking that maybe we can
try it again.
You could come to Philly with me.
- I filed on Thursday.
I'm done.
It's five years. I'm done.
(melancholy piano music)
- So what about the inspection?
- That's not going to happen.
- You know what?
I'm glad I left.
(melancholy piano music continues)
- [Radio Host] Up in the higher elevations, all that
snow pack continues to melt at a record rate,
contributing to a steady rise in reservoir water levels.
The rest of the week looks like it'll bring more of the same
high temperatures.
So, stay right here.
(gloomy music)
- Hey, Frank.
- Hey.
If it ain't the man with a plan.
How's it going, boss?
- Okay, okay.
It's been a long time, how you holding up?
- Jan and the kids wanted me to take the week off, but I
figured I'd come into work, beat myself up a bit.
- Hey, man, it wasn't your fault.
- I'm going to miss that guy.
- You check the level lately? It's up to 242.
- You kidding me? - No.
- Son of a.
You know we've never been past 200.
That's 81% of capacity.
- You might want to think about losing some pressure.
- [Matt] You did this in school?
- Yeah, yeah, that was my midterm.
- Nice work, nice.
You're not supposed to be here.
- The dam's moving.
I did a GPS on it yesterday.
- Moving? - Don't encourage him.
- Nine inches since we poured the base.
- Look, you are overreacting as usual.
Now, are you going to leave or do I have to call
the sheriff?
- Matt, check it yourself.
- Oh, come on, don't make me do this in front of your son.
- Think about it, the breach makes sense.
Open the tube, come on.
- Dad, you should leave!
- Yeah, Teddy, this is Matt.
Yeah, he showed up just like I thought he would.
Well, he's standing right in front of me
in the control room.
Yeah, well, make it snappy.
Deputy's on his way.
- We are looking at a triple threat here.
You've got the melting snow pack, the heavy rain up north,
with Burlington Dam out of the way, we're taking on all
her former volume.
That reservoir is rising faster than it ever has.
Millions of gallons of new water every day are pressing
against this wall right here.
We need to relieve this pressure.
- Save the dramatics, will you?
I know what you're doing.
You're trying to use the breach from the other day
to make me look like an idiot.
- Oh, please. - What's the matter?
You tired of teaching school?
You want to start designing again? Is that it?
- This has nothing to do with me.
- Oh yeah?
Well, you want everybody in the business to forget
how you almost killed this project with your inept designs,
and it's not going to work.
- Open the tube.
- We're not opening the tube.
- Why?
Why would you take a chance after that breach?
- Dad, come on!
Give it a rest.
- We don't have time for this.
- Wait, wait, what are you doing? What are you?
- No. (computer beeping)
- Well, shut it off.
Go on!
It's too late.
- It's at 82% now, that's wrong, it's filling up.
(alarm beeping)
- It's backing up into the mains.
(pipe bursts) (water spraying)
The valve room.
- Oh, this is just terrific.
First he messes with the plans and now he sabotages
the facility.
- What happened?
Your dad here punched the wrong sequence into the board.
- Is that true?
- Come on.
- Frank.
Frank!
(alarm sounding) (dramatic music)
(door slams)
(valve squeaking)
(door slams)
(dramatic music continues) (water rushing)
(valves squeaking)
- We've isolated the breach.
- You're going down hard this time, David.
- How bad is it?
- Valve room's completely flooded.
- We still got to relieve pressure.
Can we open up the front gate?
- Negative.
The valve we need the operates now completely underwater.
There's no getting to it.
- You never finished it, did you?
- Finished what?
- The tube.
The water must hit the bedrock and went right back
into the dam.
- Oh, Deputy Bloom.
Get him out of here.
- Come on. (tense music)
- Step foot on this property again, Mr. Powell,
I'm going to have to arrest you.
- You have family back in town?
- Yeah. Why?
- I'd get them to high ground if I were you.
(gate rattling)
- I'm sorry you had to see that.
Can you give us a moment?
- You want some coffee, Frank?
- Next time I tell you to do something,
you had better do it.
- Come on, David had a point.
He was only trying to help.
- Yeah, well you don't work for him anymore,
you work for me.
Unless you want to make some other arrangements.
Now, the president of First National Energy Traders
is going to be here at noon.
- Ken Saunders?
Ken Saunders is coming here?
- On his private jet, no less.
He's going to sign off on the Tri-State deal.
Finally!
And the last thing he needs to hear, Frank,
is that his dam is in danger of falling apart.
- Well, it's not exactly in mint condition.
- You think I don't know that?
Listen to me;
just let me get this deal signed, huh?
Then we'll start the repairs and everything will be fine.
- Yeah.
- Now the city of Rutland asked me to broker this contract,
Frank, if word gets out that we got problems,
we all lose.
You, me, this whole town.
I mean, they're depending on me.
So,
if anyone asks about this blow off tube thing,
you tell them it's David's fault.
(Frank groans)
And don't let him back in here.
- Evacuate the valley? Have you lost your mind?
- I think you should get everybody to high ground
just to be on the safe side.
- I can't just do that.
Do you have any idea what that entails?
- No, but you do.
- No, I don't.
- Well, you're the mayor, then, figure it out.
Hey, if anybody can pull this off, it's you.
- If you are wrong about this, I swear.
- I gave Rankin Dam and the better part of my life,
the last thing I want to believe is I designed a structure
that is this much of a mess.
- Is Garth still up there?
- Yeah, yeah, I'll send him home.
You just make sure you get everybody out of the valley.
My guess is that we have three hours before Rutland
is underwater.
- Your guess?
- Well, it's all guesswork until it's too late.
- David, I need something better than that.
Look, what I can do is this, I can put my department heads
on standby.
- Oh, come on!
- If you want a full evacuation, I need hard evidence.
- I'm afraid that's going to be the easy part.
(tense music)
- Thanks, Mr. Walker.
(gate rattling)
(tense music continues)
(espionage music)
(chains rattling)
(espionage music continues)
(phone ringing)
- Control room, this is Garth.
- [David] Yeah, it's me up down the pump gate.
Can you let me in, please?
- Could you please just leave?
I'm working here.
- Come on, before somebody sees me.
- I'm not letting you in.
- For crying out loud, I'm your father.
- Oh, is that what you are?
Thanks for reminding me.
- I don't deserve that.
I asked you to come visit me so many times.
- You're right.
And that was so generous of you.
Got a Kleenex? I'm getting all misty.
- I was wrong, all right?
I know we need to talk about this, but now is not the time.
- When is?
- Please, Garth, it's not safe.
- Tell me about it!
I watched Bruce die, okay.
And do you know why he's dead?
Huh?
Cause of you.
It makes me sick I'm even related to you.
I'm going to be an architect someday,
but there is no way I'm ever going to design a building
that'll kill people.
- What makes you so certain it was my fault?
- Because I saw the infrastructure popping out of the
north wall.
Those A-53 should have been 20 stem instead of the 10
you put in.
- 10 stem? I called for 30.
- 30's ridiculous.
- Yeah, why's that?
- Because it's way over code.
Especially with the 800 Series.
- That was the whole idea.
Something weird's going on in there.
Please, open the gate.
Let me go in there so I can figure this out.
Please?
- A stage two alert means I want your departments on standby
to evacuate the valley.
Sheriff Metcalf worked the hurricanes down in Palm Beach,
we're very lucky to have him.
He's your point person, and he reports directly to me.
- Have you talked to Mayor D'Angelo about this?
- He's going in for surgery today.
He'll be told as soon as his doctors give the okay.
- Yeah, well what about Matt Walker?
I mean, he built the dam, does he think it's in trouble?
- I haven't spoken to Mr. Walker.
(Sheriff chuckling)
- Now wait just a minute here, are you telling me that you
alone made this decision based entirely upon what your
husband said?
- That's right.
- Well, I was there when they built the dam.
No offense,
but I think the guy's a little bit off.
- Thank you for your evaluation of his mental state,
but I don't believe police work qualifies you
as a psychologist.
- Look, there's no reason for you to get smart with me.
- You are also not a structural engineer.
And I'm going to go with the opinion of someone who is.
Now the dam is in jeopardy,
as acting mayor, I do not need a consensus to call
a stage two alert.
We are doing this.
Let's get to it.
(tense music)
- Oh, man.
You trying to get me fired?
- Frank, she's going to bust, I know it.
- What makes you so sure all of a sudden?
- Because Garth tells me that the rebar at the breach
is 10 stem.
- Yeah, it is. So?
- So it was supposed to be 30.
Walker must have skimped.
Let me show you.
Here's our view of the dam looking upstream, right?
This is where the breach happened, right at the base.
Directly 100 feet above that is another section,
it's identical to the breached section and just
as vulnerable.
Above that, another 10 stem point, and above that,
another one.
Four vulnerable points going from the base of the dam
to the very top.
Now when the water level reaches 300 feet,
that's going to be 200 million pounds over design limits
pressing against that wall.
And guess what's going to happen?
- Do I have to?
- She's going to puncture there, there, and eventually there
and blow open like a double door.
- Goodbye Rutland.
- Exactly.
We've got to slow down this collapse, boys.
Give Natalie enough time to evacuate the town.
- How do we do that?
- Only one thing we can do; relieve pressure by losing
water, that's what the tube was for.
- We could blast open the tube.
- With what?
- C4.
There's a ton of it left over in construction.
- I love this kid.
- That's not a bad idea.
But I'm sure Walker left miles of that tunnel incomplete.
First the tunnel, then the 10 stem.
What happened, Frank, after I left?
Did Walker redraw everything or did he throw my plans out
altogether?
- All I know is I wish you could have stayed on.
(water bursting) (dramatic music)
Another breach.
- Where?
- About 100 feet right above the first one.
Second floor.
Just like you said.
- Are you sure about this?
I saw it on the way to work this morning,
it looked fine to me.
- Look, just trust me on the dam, okay?
I want you to alert your people that they may,
they may have to evacuate the hospital.
- [Janine] When? - I don't know, soon.
- Are you nuts?
I have people in ICU.
- Look, I don't like this anymore than you do.
- I got the mayor going into surgery any minute.
- Ship him to St. Rosemary's.
- He's not going to be very happy about that.
- Just ship him.
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
- [David] Are you there yet, Garth?
- Got it.
- What's wrong with your dam?
- Nothing that can't be fixed, why?
- Well, Natalie Powell's going around town telling people
the thing's going to bust.
- What?
- Yeah, she has us on standby to evacuate the town.
- Man, I was just up there, it's fine.
Don't do what she says.
- I have to. - Teddy.
Listen to me, will ya?
Do not evacuate the town.
Guess who's going to be here in the next, oh man.
- Not Kent Saunders?
- None other.
Now he's already made payment on the first round
of Energy Futures, millions worth.
If he sees you evacuating this valley,
well, he will kill the deal and he will want his money back.
- So give it to him.
- I can't.
- Why?
- It's gone.
- All of it?
Matt, where'd it go?
- Where did it go?
The mayor's new mall, last year's payroll, your campaign.
Yeah.
Now don't worry, Ted, word is Ken Saunders won't sue,
he'll prosecute all of us.
- What do you want me to do about Natalie?
- It's not her, it's her husband.
I will talk to her.
I'll see you.
(tense music)
- Water level's at 263.
That's 88% capacity.
- We got to bring that number down.
- How about that exhaust system?
- What about it?
- Well, if we reroute the water and
blow it out of the exhaust tower,
wouldn't that lower the pressure?
- Garth, please, don't be silly.
- No, no, no, wait a minute.
That's not such a bad idea.
- Those ducks are made to carry air, not water.
No, we need a B plan.
- This is the B plan.
Grid's still operational.
So we can do it from here.
- David, come out, we do that, we're going to flood
the warehouse district.
- So we'll have Natalie evacuate that area first.
- Okay, okay, now you're not even supposed to be in here.
I'm already going way out on a limb for you.
- What's the matter with you all of a sudden?
We're doing this.
- We can't.
The tower won't be able to handle the flow.
- Of course it will.
- It straddles the embankment.
- And your point is?
- It's not I-beam supported.
It's just sitting up there waiting to fall,
and when it does, the canyon wall's going to give away
and then the entire dam's going to come down quick.
- How do you know all this, Frank?
Come on, talk to me.
- You remember the inspector we had back then,
the guy with a high blood pressure?
Soon as we started blasting the canyon, Walker paid him
to look the other way.
Walker dipped into every phase of this project.
The exhaust tower, the tube, the rebar, the whole place,
he went big.
You didn't go over budget, it was Walker.
Made himself a very rich man.
Yeah
Your dad got set up, Garth.
Worst thing to ever happened to this place.
You should have seen you old man back then.
He was the best.
- In all these years, I thought it was me.
Is this inspector still around?
I need to have a conversation with him.
- He's dead.
- Why didn't you ever say anything?
- Well,
Walker needed somebody to run the place after you left.
And I got paid too.
(melancholy piano music)
I sit here
thinking about what happened the other day.
I just wish I could make it right.
- Help me make this work.
- Oh, I don't know, man.
- Come on.
What other choice do we have?
Internship's over.
- I'm not leaving.
This tower thing is my idea.
- Hey, Garth, I'm tired of looking at your ugly mug.
You're fired.
- Come on, son.
Get yourself to high ground.
(door slams)
- No, no, no, John, that is a fire department thing,
not a National Guard thing.
Just call me after you talk to him, okay?
Okay, bye.
Could you take this to Mr. Lynch's office?
He's expecting it.
(Matt knocking)
- Got a minute?
- Sure, but if you're here to change my mind,
it's not going to work.
- Actually, I wanted to make sure you were clear on what
happened this morning.
- Another accident. That's all I need to know.
- Well, did he mention that he caused it?
- I'm not buying that, Matt.
You and he have issues going way back.
- Hey, I was standing right there.
So was Frank, Garth.
Ask them. We all saw it.
- Saw what?
- Well, you know how impulsive David gets.
He initiated the wrong sequence, he rerouted the pressure
release into the mains.
He messed up again.
- So, how's the dam?
- There's nothing wrong with it.
Actually it is David that concerns me.
He's obsessed with the place.
- Okay, why is it that everyone in this town has an opinion
about his mental state?
- Well, I worked three years with the guy and
to me it was an important job, sure, but David, I mean,
his whole self worth was wrapped up in that project.
He also left town because of it.
You know, Natalie, I know how much
you two loved each other.
Why would a man in a good relationship
walk away from his wife and 12 year old son?
Because of problems at work?
I mean, that's crazy.
Oh, David is a frustrated artist.
What happened five years ago just devastated him.
But does that give him license to
destroy this town's economy?
This afternoon, Natalie, I am going to broker a contract
that will improve the lives of everyone we love.
I mean, instead of our kids leaving town first chance
they get, they will want to stay here.
They will want to stay here and raise their families here.
See, David's not a local like you and me.
He just doesn't get it.
Now, if you announce an evacuation,
First National Energy will kill that deal,
and all of that'll be gone for good.
Now I am asking you,
please,
call it off.
- Look, Matt,
I certainly do not want to be the one to kill the new deal,
but we are going to remain on a stage two alert.
Now, what I will do is this; I will wait for hard evidence
to come in before escalating.
Now if nothing comes in in the next couple of hours.
- Then you will call it off?
- Yes. I'll call it off.
- Good.
Good.
That's just great.
Listen, believe me, trust me,
there is nothing wrong with the dam.
Okay?
(tense music) (drill whirring)
(water pouring)
- We don't need to evacuate the whole town.
I just think you're overreacting.
- Walker got to you, didn't he?
What did he tell you, that I'm some kind of obsessed
freak, right?
- Something like that, yeah.
- [David] And do you believe him?
- I don't know what to believe anymore.
All I know is that you walked away, and I cannot trust that.
- I came back, didn't I?
- Not for me and Garth, you came back for the dam.
It's always about the dam with you.
- You're right, you're right.
Walker's right, I am obsessed, I have to be obsessed.
How else can you spend years of your life dreaming about
something, planning it, designing it?
None of this was ever supposed to happen.
This was supposed to be the best ever built.
I wanted to protect the town, take care of everybody,
especially you and Garth.
This thing was supposed to last forever.
You and I never even used to fight until I lost this job.
You know, I'm starting to wish I never built this thing.
- Me too.
- She's not going to hold.
Walker skimped on the rebar.
That's why she's been breaching.
- Can you prove that?
- You come on down here, I'll cut a hole in the wall
and show you.
- No, we would have to show it to a lot of people.
Look, I can get the federal inspectors to fly back in.
- We don't have the time, the structure's not going to
make it through the day.
Best thing we can do is buy some time by running off
pressure.
- Well, how are you going to do that?
- Plan is, we're going to do expulsion out of the
exhaust tower.
You need to clear the warehouse district immediately.
- No, I just told Walker that I wouldn't.
- We have to do this. We don't have a choice.
I'll call you in a bit.
- David, David!
Lauren, get me the sheriff.
(tense music)
(water bursting)
- There it is.
- [Frank] Third floor, right above the last one.
- That's one section we can't seal off.
- The only way to stop it is lower the reservoir and plug it
with wall spreaders.
- What's taking her so long?
- We have to evacuate.
- Look, I talked to Walker, he said the dam is fine.
And Deputy Bloom, he was up there this morning.
They got everything under control.
- I am ordering you to evacuate the warehouse district.
Now, are you going to do it or not?
- No.
- Do you realize what you're saying?
- Fully aware.
- Then I am relieving you of your duties.
Officer Bloom, you're the new sheriff.
- You can't do that.
- Check the city charter under civil emergencies.
You are excused.
Ready? - Um.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Let's get to work.
- Natalie, you have no idea what you're getting into here.
Good luck.
(siren whirring)
- I need everyone to evacuate the area immediately.
(siren whirring) (people chattering)
- Come on, keep moving.
- Turn around and move to the east parking, that way.
That way. We need to keep moving, folks.
Come on, folks, keep moving.
(water rushing) (tense music)
- How close are you?
- Standby.
Sheriff, what's your status?
- Most of the buildings are clear.
There's only a few more to go.
- Well, I need a timeframe, Bloom.
- Five, maybe 10 more minutes.
- Sir, I'm sorry, we have to clear the area.
- No, I need to get my truck.
- We have to evacuate this area-
- Look my dog's missing, I need my truck to find the dog.
- We'll find your dog. - I'll find my dog myself,
I need my truck.
- I lied, now I've got a shop owner that won't leave.
(men grunting) (tense music)
- We need to evacuate this area!
Sir, relax, sir! - No!
- We need to evacuate the area!
- All right, all right!
All right.
(tense music continues)
(water rushing)
- [Frank] She's coming undone.
- We can't wait much longer.
- Hold on, I've got people out here!
- Let's go, boss, make the call.
- I got to do this now.
- You will hold until I give the word.
Deputy Bloom, let's move it!
What happened to the shopkeeper?
- I scared him away.
- Then let's go.
- We're out of here. - Let's move out.
(tires screeching) (sirens shirring)
- You're clear!
- Go.
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
- Tower's already starting to compromise.
- We just opened it up.
(tense music)
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
- Come on.
Come on, boy, we have to go, come on.
Come on, come on.
Come on, come on, comer here, come to the car,
come on!
(dog barks)
Come on, come on!
Come on!
Come on! Come here!
(dog barks)
(suspenseful music)
Come on.
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
(water splashing) (glass shattering)
(water crashing) (dramatic music)
- Have to shut it down or it's going to detach.
- Okay, okay. Do it! (switches clacking)
(water rushing)
Why isn't it working?
- It was never meant to do this.
I can't shut it off.
- All right, then we got to go manual. Come on!
(dramatic music) (water crashing)
(dog panting) (Natalie gasping)
(dramatic music)
(dog barking)
(lid creaking)
(dramatic music continues) (water rushing)
- Okay, that's a good boy.
Come on, in you go.
Come on.
(lid slams)
(water crashing)
(water crashing) (Natalie gasping)
(dog whimpering)
(water crashing)
- Go! (both grunting)
- She ain't moving. Pressure's too much.
(water rushing)
If we don't get this, tower's going to detach.
- I know.
- The whole dam's going to be coming down.
- I know! Would you just shut up and push?
(water rushing)
(Natalie gasping) (dog whimpering)
- Come on. - Move!
(pipe clangs)
(wheel creaking) (all grunting)
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
(Matt groans)
(phone beeping)
- Come on, come on.
I can't get through.
Get me the mayor's office.
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
- I thought you went home.
- I never left.
Don't tell me I got to go.
- I wouldn't think of it.
- Think we should put him on the payroll?
- Absolutely.
(water splashing) (relieving music)
(Frank shouts) - [Garth] All right!
- We did it, boys.
Way to go, Garth.
(tense music) (water dripping)
(dog whimpering)
- We're okay.
(lid creaking)
(tense music)
(dam creaking)
(bolts popping) (water rushing)
- Get down!
(bolts popping) (water rushing)
Frank!
Stay down, Garth.
(bolts popping) (water rushing)
(Frank groans)
Are you all right?
- Yeah.
Dad, that was wild.
I'm sorry dad, but this place is a joke.
- What do you know.
One of those suckers ran right through me.
(tense music)
- Garth, call the hospital!
- No!
No, you take care of business.
- You're going to be all right, Frank.
You're going to be all right.
- Hope I didn't let you down, boss.
- Oh no, you did great.
- In my office,
there's a folder of receipts,
deal memos, everything you need, proof that Walker ransacked
the job.
I held on to it, thought some day I might need it.
Now look, you guys are going to have to
patch up that breach on third floor, okay?
You do me a favor.
- Anything.
- You don't let her fall until everybody is out of town.
I'm going to rest a little bit, if you don't mind.
- No, no, no, no.
You rest. I don't mind.
We're going to get you out of here, man.
I promise. - Been a long day.
(somber piano music)
(dramatic music)
- [David] I'm sorry, you sure you're okay?
- David, I'm fine. How's the dam?
- We sealed up the breach as best we could,
but the water level's back up to 284.
If it gets to 300, I'm afraid she's going to come down.
At this rate, we've got got an hour at best.
Got everybody ready?
- Everybody's on standby, they're just waiting for me
to give the word.
- For what it's worth, we're not going to be the ones
who destroyed this town.
Walker did it years ago.
- What are you talking about?
- I've got documentation here that proves that Walker
compromised the dam.
He was a master at hiding everything from the DSD.
- [Garth] You should see this, mom.
Walker blew it.
- Garth, what are you still doing there?
- Helping dad.
- Well, where's Frank?
- He's dead.
- Oh, no.
- We had another accident.
- Garth, I want you to get out of there right now.
- Sorry, this is my job.
- No, no, no! You listen to me-
- Hey!
You're the one who wants me to spend more time
with Dad, right?
- You are just as stubborn as your father is.
I'm serious.
- Excuse me, but I think he gets that from you.
Hey, wait a minute, we're going to try something else
to lower the water level, then we're getting out of here.
Garth, you said we had some C4?
- Yeah. - [David] Go get it.
- David, I don't like the sound of that.
- Don't you worry. I know what I'm doing.
- Okay, well, I'm going to get started kicking everybody out
of their homes.
- All right, mayor. Good luck.
(dark music)
- Any luck with the mayor's office?
- [Secretary] I've left three messages.
I said it was urgent, I can't seem to get a call back.
- All right, I'm going to talk to her again.
Bring my car around, will you?
- [Secretary] Mr. Saunders just got here,
I actually told him we were tied up on a call.
Do you want me to tell him you need a few more minutes?
- Show him in.
Ken. - Matt.
- Good to see you. Good to see you.
Please, gentlemen, have a seat.
So how was your flight?
- Interesting.
So we're coming in for a landing, right?
- [Matt] Right. - Right.
Now I look out the window and I see
warehouses completely flooded.
Quite a sight.
Care to explain that?
- Well, Ken, we've had some challenges,
I won't pretend that we haven't.
The faster we relieve pressure, the sooner we can get
a repair crew in there.
See, the tube wasn't doing the job quickly enough,
so we had to improvise.
It was messy.
Really messy.
But it was something that we had to do in order to meet
our production schedule with you.
- And that was your idea?
- Yes.
- I'm impressed.
When can we tour the facility?
- Anytime.
- In light of the events a few days ago,
we changed some of the terms of the agreement.
First National needs an out.
If anything goes wrong at Rankin dam, the deal's off.
- Yeah, well, with all do respect, Ken, that is not what we
agreed to.
- Matt, this is not a negotiable point.
You either take it or leave it.
- Fine.
Shall we?
(suspenseful music)
- This should be enough to blow off a piece of the top lip.
Drain the reservoir enough to buy mom some time.
Worked forever on this place, now blowing a hole in it.
- Mom said you used to swim in this river when you were
a kid?
- Oh yeah.
My family would come up here on vacation.
Building this dam was a dream come true.
- Why'd you leave?
- What'd your mom tell you?
- Whenever I bring it up, she says to ask you.
- Well, we were in the middle of construction,
everything was going great,
then all of a sudden they tell me the project's over budget.
I thought it was all my fault.
I had no idea what Walker was doing until today.
And then Walker, he gets me fired, tells everybody in the
business that I'm completely unreliable.
After that, nobody would hire me.
I had to give up designing all together.
And being an architect, that's all I ever wanted to do.
You know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- After that, I hit rock bottom.
Your mother and I, we started having problems.
So,
I found a teaching job in Philly.
I didn't want to leave,
but I got to admit, I became pretty unbearable to be around.
And I was afraid if I stayed, my son would've grown up
to hate me.
- Don't worry.
That happened anyway.
But,
I think he might be able to get over it.
- Hey,
I'm sorry about Bruce.
- I'm sorry about Frank.
- Yeah.
Let's get out of here.
- I'm ready to do this if you want me to, ma'am.
- You're making me nervous, Bloom.
- Don't get me wrong, you're doing a great job as mayor
and all, I just think maybe you should give the job back
to Sheriff Metcalf.
- Is that so?
- I'm just a little uncomfortable with the position,
being how I've only been in the department a couple years.
- Well, Sheriff Metcalf just drove out of town
30 minutes ago, so you were the most experienced officer
that I have.
Now you took an oath, didn't you?
- Yeah.
I did.
- Okay, look,
it's my first day on the job too.
I'll make you a deal;
I'll pretend to be the mayor,
you pretend to be the sheriff.
Just for one day.
And we won't tell anybody that we don't know
what we're doing, okay?
A deal?
- Okay.
- Okay. Let's go do it.
- [Officer] Citizens of Rutland, by order of the office
of the mayor, the entire downtown area is under
mandatory evacuation procedures.
Please leave the area immediately and proceed
to higher ground.
Repeat: the office of the mayor has ordered immediate
evacuation of downtown Rutland.
Please, remain calm and leave the area immediately.
- I need more time!
- [Natalie] How much?
- You said I'd have two hours.
- Janine, you have 45 minutes.
- That's impossible, I haven't got the personnel
to pull that off, let alone the transportation!
- How about school buses?
- What?
- No, we can take out the seats to use them like trucks.
- Maybe, but I'll need manpower.
- Okay, I can get you the National Guard,
I'll get you the best EMTs they've got.
- That might work.
Oh, by the way, the mayor's still in surgery.
- I thought you moved him!
- He refused.
But he's the last stop on the schedule.
- Okay, you let me know the minute he's ready to roll,
and I mean the very second.
(tense music)
(siren whirring)
- What the?
- [Officer] The area is under mandatory evacuation
procedures.
Please leave the area immediately and proceed
to higher ground.
Please, evacuate the area immediately.
I repeat: this an emergency evacuation.
(people panicking)
- Matt, I am very disappointed.
- I can explain.
You know that architect that I was telling you about-
- Save it.
Deal's off.
(phone ringing)
- Matt Walker.
- I guess you heard the news.
- We discussed this, you call this off right now.
- Too late.
- Look, I need you to work with me on this.
I put D'Angelo in that office.
Now he's retiring in November, I can help you, Natalie.
- You forget who you're talking to.
- You are killing this town!
There is nothing wrong with that dam!
- There's nothing wrong with the rebar?
The blow off tube? What about the exhaust tower?
- Oh, come on, you don't know anything about these
facilities, you don't know how they work.
- Oh, I think I have a general understanding.
I married the architect, remember?
We know what you did. We have the paper to prove it.
Now this is an official warning;
it's not coming from the mayor's office,
this is coming from me,
you had better run for high ground.
- Someone's lying to you.
Who told you this?
(phone beeps)
(tense music)
- Frank.
- Okay, Garth, let's move it!
- Dad, we're at 296.
That's 98% capacity.
- We have to hurry up and do this.
Detonator. Come on.
- What the?
(suspenseful music)
What is he up to?
(suspenseful music continues)
- Where's Frank?
- He's dead.
- I saw that C4, you're going to blow the dam?
- We're trying to keep it standing.
Don't you see what's going on?
40,000 people live in that valley.
What were you thinking?
Come on, let's do this together.
- On three. Ready?
One, two, three.
(buttons clicking)
- Hey.
(cables thud)
- [Garth] The blasting caps.
- What are you doing?
(water bursting) (all grunting)
(David yelling)
(Matt grunting)
(David yelling)
Open the door, you can't just leave us!
Open the door!
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
God, it's worthless!
We got to get through that manifold!
- We're stuck just like Bruce!
- Garth, look at me!
Garth, look at me!
I missed the last five years, there's no way I'm missing
any more.
We have to find a wrench okay?
Okay? - Okay.
(dramatic music continues) (water rushing)
- I think I found it.
I got it, let's go.
(tools clattering)
A wrench.
(water rushing) (dramatic music)
(wheel squeaking)
(lid pops) (David gasps)
Garth!
(David grunting)
(lip slams)
(wheel cranking)
(anxious music)
Garth.
Garth.
Garth.
(David panting)
Garth.
Come on!
(David panting)
(anxious music continues)
Come on, Garth.
You're not allowed to do this.
Come on! Breathe!
(David blowing)
I'm not going to let you do this.
I'm not going to let you take away my boy.
(David crying)
Come on, Garth.
Please!
One, two, three! (Garth coughing)
Breathe! Breathe!
Breathe.
Are you okay? You okay?
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
(both panting)
Let's not tell your mom about this, okay?
Oh, thank you.
(phone ringing)
- How we doing?
- Nine out of 12 sectors report clear.
- [Speaker] Unit seven reports clear.
- Make it 10.
Two to go.
By the way, where's your husband?
- Oh, he's up at the dam, he's trying to buy us
some more time.
(phone ringing) Yeah?
- She's coming apart as we speak.
- [Natalie] How much time do we have?
10, 15 minutes at the most.
- You guys have got to get out of there.
- We will, don't worry.
Please, please tell me the valley's empty.
- No, still got hundreds of people to move,
not to mention the hospital.
- Dad, the valve room is clear.
- We tried everything we possibly can.
Wait, what'd you say?
- I drilled some holes in the basement ceiling.
- Hang on. When?
- After you told me to go home, I never left.
Took a while to drain up, but now the valve room's clear.
I just checked.
- We might be able to finally open up front gate,
that should relieve some pressure.
- Enough to keep her standing?
- No, she's going to fall down regardless.
But this should be enough to give you the time you need.
Listen, I'll call you later.
Come on.
- Okay.
(driving music)
(Garth panting)
(door clanks)
- We got this. Ready?
(valve creaking) (both grunting)
(indistinct)
(water rushing)
(dam rumbling)
- What's happening?
- She's shifting cause we released pressure.
- Well, is that a good thing?
- Yeah, sort of.
(dramatic music) (water rushing)
Keep going!
(valve creaking)
(suspenseful music) (water splashing)
- It's completely flooded out there.
We're not getting out of here, are we?
- We're 12 for 12. All sector's clear.
- Great. Except for the hospital, everybody's out.
(phone ringing)
- David?
- [Garth] It's me.
- Where are you?
- Still inside the dam, and we've
done everything we can.
- Well, get out of there, both of you.
- I love you, mom.
(somber music)
- How you doing?
- What's going on?
- I don't think we're going to make it out here.
- What?
- We got the front gate open, we got as much time
as we could for you, but we're trapped in here now.
- You can't be serious, I thought you-
- I know, so did I.
I'm sorry.
- Oh my.
- Real proud of our son.
You would be too.
- Well, I don't want to be proud of him,
I want you guys out of there!
David, are you still there?
- Yeah, I'm here.
Natalie, I was wrong.
I never should have left.
I make up images in my mind of what things probably
looked like.
His graduation, his birthdays,
that camping trip you guys took.
And I try fooling myself into thinking I was there,
but it never works cause I wasn't there at all.
I'm sorry about all that lost time.
I'd give anything right now to have a real memory.
- No, no, no, no.
- Listen,
you get up that hill, okay?
Get yourself as high as you can go.
Get out of here.
You've done your job.
- David.
David, I love you.
David, I've always loved you and I've missed you so much.
Every single day, I've thought about you,
and I know that I never said it enough, but I love you.
I love you so much.
- I love you too, Mr. Smith.
I always have.
(emotional music)
- Hospital's clear.
They just closed up the mayor and they're driving away
any second.
(all cheering)
Miss Powell, did you hear?
- Pack it up.
(emotional music continues)
(diabolical music)
- I know you wanted to talk, so-
(Garth shushing)
- I'm thinking.
This is level two, east quadrant alpha, right?
- Yeah, I think that's right.
- Does cooling vent number 27 Charlie run horizontally
or vertically?
- I don't know, it's been a long time.
- Horizontally.
It's right down this wall, isn't it.
- Yeah, I think so, but I can't be sure.
Have you been looking at my blueprints of this place?
- Actually, I'm doing a report on it for my senior review.
- Really?
- All we got to do is get to that vent and we're good.
Let's hope it's not flooded.
- Yeah, but even so that wall's 18 inches thick,
there's no way we can get through that.
(David laughs)
- [Bloom] All right, folks, let's keep moving!
We have a second van arriving momentarily.
- [Speaker 1] Okay, watch your step now.
- [Speaker 2] That's it, that's it.
- [Speaker 1] Keep moving.
- [Bloom] Let's go!
(people chattering) (siren whirring)
- Come on, folks, let's keep moving.
Miss Powell, we got to go.
(phone ringing) - Hello?
- Somebody in this family gave birth to a genius.
We're getting out of here.
- Oh!
I'm coming to meet you! Where you going to be?
- Forget about, it's too dangerous.
- No! Where?
- [David] Top of the creek bed.
- Okay, I'll be right there.
Bloom, give me your car keys!
- Where are you going?
- Get these people up the hill.
- Natalie!
(dramatic music)
(C4 exploding)
(driving music)
- Go!
(driving music continues) (vent thumping)
(tense music)
(both thumping)
(tense music)
(driving music)
- Which way?
- I don't know, it's been a long time.
- Left?
- Left. - Right.
- Right.
(door bursts) (water rushing)
(tense music)
(grate banging)
(tense music continues)
(water rushing)
(horn honks)
- Mom!
- [David] Natalie!
- Mom, down here! - Garth!
- You guys got to move! Let's go!
- Come on, come on, come on!
- I'll drive.
(dramatic music) (engine revving)
(dam exploding)
(dramatic music continues) - [Garth] Oh no!
(water roaring)
Step on it!
(van revving)
(dramatic music continues)
- [Natalie] Careful, David!
(van revving)
(tires screeching)
(water rumbling) (dramatic music)
(water crashing)
(engine revving)
(van thumping)
- [Garth] Dad, watch out!
(lawn ornaments shattering)
(fence crashing)
(Natalie screams) (water splashing)
(van crashing)
(tires screeching)
(driving music)
(water roaring)
(trunk slams)
(water crashing)
(Matt yells)
(dramatic music)
- Faster, dad!
Look, we're not going to make it!
- Yes we are, hang on!
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
(people chattering)
(water crashing) (dramatic music)
- We can't outrun it, there's no place else to go.
- I got an idea.
(tires screeching)
(van crunches)
(tires screeching)
(water roaring)
(van scraping)
(water crashing)
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
(tires screeching)
(water crashing)
- The force of the water should have wiped out
this whole structure.
How come we didn't?
(Garth chuckles)
Don't tell me;
you're the architect.
- The best?
(triumphant music) (town cheering)
(somber music begins)
(fireworks exploding)
(triumphant music)