Mine 9 (2019) - full transcript
Two miles into the earth, nine Appalachian miners struggle to survive after a methane explosion leaves them with one hour of oxygen.
♪ Oh, oh my ♪
♪ Oh my ♪
♪ Soul is still the mine ♪
♪ That old Devil
got a hold on me ♪
♪ Two miles down and
the blind can't see ♪
♪ Yes it's this ♪
♪ Mountain deep ♪
♪ And I'll dead
from methane be ♪
♪ And me, I'll dead
from methane be ♪
What do you need?
Hey, it's startin'
to get shaky back here!
Ain't sure how much
longer she's gonna hold!
Don't
worry, hold the work.
Just now.
Shit.
Hey, we got methane.
Tell Johnny to shut
down the fire safes.
All hands makin' a
wind curtain, let's go.
Methane, methane,
let's go, boys!
- Move, now, move, move.
- The man trip is down.
The man trip is down.
Get that
curtain set up!
It's
comin', I can smell it.
I got it, I got it,
got it, got it, got it.
- Where'd ya get it?
- I don't know.
The damn thing won't go.
We ain't got time.
Let's go, come on.
- Give it away.
- Tack it.
- Look over there.
- Tack it.
- Pull it tight.
- Tack it!
- Almost.
- Hold it up.
- Get it up, get it up.
- Get the left side.
Go, go, go,
go there on the left.
- Keep goin'.
- Watch your head.
- Hold onto it.
- You gotta get it
- up there, Kenny.
- Shit.
Come on, get
that side, get that up.
I got this,
you get down there now.
I got this, you
get down there, go!
- Go, go, go, go!
- All right, we've got one.
Do it from inside.
All right.
All right, you
taut, everybody good?
All right, nice job, fellas.
We good?
Ah, our Father.
Air velocity is...
- Lord in heaven.
- Now it's comin' up.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on Earth as it is in heaven.
- Good job, John, good job.
- Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom, Earth.
Give us this daily bread and
forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
For thine is the power
and the glory forever, amen.
It's all good.
Boys, we're sittin'
here talkin' in circles.
Ain't none of us really
come up with somethin'.
We gotta figure it out.
Well I say we go.
It ain't nothin' but free
heat's the way I look at it.
And I don't give a good goddamn
what my brother
finds down there.
Excuse me, John.
Yeah.
Paycheck's more important
than gettin' shut down.
Well we all need to put
food on our table, ya know?
My family needs me
to work, ya know?
We all do.
Paycheck ain't gon'
mean shit if you die
two miles in, Kenny.
Now we are filled
up with more methane
than any other
mine in this area.
If you call MSHA
and they come down
and go down in
that fuckin' mine,
they gon' shut us
down methane or not.
And what's he gonna do?
Smitty, what are you gon' do?
Tiny, what are you gon' do?
There ain't no fuckin' thing
- to do around here!
- That mine is a bomb, Kenny!
And we are all sittin'
right in the middle of it!
God's gonna protect us, hm?
God will not protect
us in Hell, John.
Now you've all seen
it, shift after shift.
It's gettin' worse and
worse, bigger and bigger.
Zeke, if I die down
below my family's
gonna get insurance.
Me up here without a job?
Hell, man, I'm worthless.
Well, fellas, the
sump pump in the section
can't keep up, all right?
And when it fails
we're gon' drown.
You wanna add that to the list?
You wanna add that
to the raft of shit!
I ain't blowed up or
drowned in 15 years.
Now I ain't scared, I ain't
tellin' y'all what to be.
What kinda fuckin'
logic is that?
Now all in favor of
diggin' some coal, say aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Settled.
Kenny, Ryan shouldn't be
goin' down there with us.
You fellas have a nice night.
What my boy does is none
of your goddamn business,
big brother.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- Easy.
- Let it go.
Come on now, look at me.
We voted, all right?
We're goin' back to work.
We're gonna put some food
on our tables, all right?
I say we go down, we
get us a few drinks,
and since John don't
drink, you're buyin', boy.
All right, what do
ya say, come on.
- What do ya say, you wanna go?
- Ha!
You wanna go.
Come on, Shitty.
Let's go get
somethin' to drink!
Ooh!
Who's gonna work, men?
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord to
let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord to
let me come out again ♪
♪ Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh-oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord to
let me come out again ♪
I already
asked, I need some soda.
Always the grillmeister.
Hey, church lady,
I'm sorry I'm late.
How was the service?
Was good.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
You're gonna get
coal all over you.
I'm not gonna get
coal all over me.
Pastor was askin' about
you again, though.
Oh was he?
Mm-hmm.
Askin' after my soul
or another donation?
Be nice.
Ya know, I wish you'd
let me take this thing off.
All right, honey.
- You're one to talk.
- In another life.
Now go, say hi.
Say hello.
Yes, ma'am.
You wanna be a miner?
Eh, ya know what, why
don't you study in school
and see how good
you can do there?
How's that?
Hey, get outta here,
go enjoy your party.
Your party.
Rather see that boy in a
football helmet than a hardhat.
Yeah, I agree.
Mornin', Uncle Zeke.
None of that Uncle Zeke stuff
when we're in the
mine, understood?
Yes, sir, yeah.
First day
underground is not like
your first day in kindergarten.
I hope those boots
are waterproof.
That mine goes a hell of
a lot deeper underground
than the water table is.
What's the water table again?
It is the lowest point
to where the water sits.
It's geology.
- On me, me.
- Okay.
Look, the stream is
no more than 60 feet deep.
Rivers, lakes, wells,
no more 'n 200 feet.
We are cuttin' coal
2,000 feet deep.
We take on water, that's
just the way it is.
Okay, I'm so confused.
I told him all that.
I told you three,
four times already.
Hey,
hey, hey, come on.
I don't wanna hear none of
that holier than thou bullshit.
Now don't you make an ass
outta me down there today.
'Cause I don't even
wanna be here right now
- with you, huh?
- Boy.
I'm tired of your shit.
- I pay for your pillow!
- I'm tired of you
touchin' me, I'm tired
- of your shit.
- Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, you get back here, boy.
Boy!
Hey, 18 all right?
All right?
He is 18.
We was both in the
fuckin' war at 18, John.
I know that, Kenny.
Now he's just a boy,
and he's got a bit
of your blood in him.
Now go sit down.
What'd I tell
you about drinkin'
before your shift, Kenny, huh?
What did I tell you?
- Stop!
- Go home.
- Ryan!
- What?
You don't have to do this.
Listen, my dad ain't like
your parents, Missy, all right?
What don't you
understand about this?
I don't have time to sit
in this damn town
and wait for you.
And I'm not able
to go with you.
I don't even have
gas money, ya know?
Happy birthday, Russell.
What do you say, Russell?
Thank you.
Grace.
Hi, Susie.
Hi.
Did you get the call
about the reunion?
Yeah.
Are ya goin'?
You have a good day, Teresa.
Hey, Russell.
And I hope you and Salvia
are takin' good
care of my husband.
Have a good day.
Shame on you, Daniel, for
goin' back down there.
Shame on all of y'all!
I ain't sittin'
here another minute.
Russell, get to the car.
Get.
Two hours, fellas, two hours.
♪ He loves guitar ♪
♪ But he's just gone ♪
Teresa, wait up.
What is it?
The sump pump on Nine
is on life support.
All right, I'll put in
another work order, then.
Work orders don't mean
shit around here, Teresa,
everybody knows that.
Hell, we don't even
have a mine rescue.
You ain't diggin' enough coal,
so they're forced to make cuts.
Oh that's bullshit.
We dig more goddamn coal
than any mine in this area!
My apologies.
But the old works are
leakin' more methane
than I've seen in 30 years.
Where's the outside
foreman, huh?
He's still sick.
And no replacement?
When those pumps give
out, and they will,
then my men are gonna
drown two miles in,
unless an ignition
burns us up first.
What are you gonna do?
Are you gonna call MSHA?
And what happens
if I call MSHA, huh?
What happens when
MSHA shows up here?
They're gonna shut us down
and we're all screwed.
Is that what you want?
Everyone on your
crew starts on time.
Is that understood?
That's understood.
I am well aware that
just by makin' this call
I could be shuttin' us down,
and my men are not onboard
I want you to know,
but if somethin' were to happen,
we got no mine rescue, we
got no outside foreman.
It seems to me that
corporate cares more
about their coal reserves
and their machinery
than they do about their miners.
All right, well, we
will open up a case
first thing Monday morning.
Now I called MSHA to help
us today, not on Monday.
I understand, but
Mine Safety and Health
is not in the business
of shuttin' down
a mine without an investigation.
I got men goin' into that
mine tonight, do you understand?
I am fully aware,
but it's gonna
have to wait 'til
Monday mornin'.
Yes, sir, thank you very much.
All right.
Hey, son.
That's break 23, John.
It's gettin' worse.
Yeah, got it.
Hey, red hat.
Psst, hey, kid.
Your dad ever told about
Matt and Ben Fellows?
Naw.
You ain't never told him?
No, he didn't tell me.
Oh hell, they both worked
this whole section here
a piece back, good boys.
But since it's your first
time goin' underground,
I just thought maybe you should
just know somethin' about 'em.
Why?
Why?
Matt and Ben's first
eight days underground,
after every single shift,
they'd come out here
and said they seen
somethin', and it was on the,
what was it, ninth, ninth day?
Ninth day they
said Satan appeared
and he said if
you ever come back
down here again,
boys, you gon' die.
Hey hold up.
Did they come back down?
Hey, Daniel.
- Dad.
- He'll tell ya.
Did they
come back down?
Daniel'll tell you
in a minute, now.
Oh hell, they
didn't have a choice.
They have to work, right?
Yeah, but if we just
say hey, you know,
make it through what, 10 days?
You're good to go.
Yeah, it's moments like that
you come face to face with God.
Yeah, or Satan himself.
What happened?
Huh?
What happened to 'em?
Do I tell him?
The roof fell and
them boys dead.
They're here one second,
gone the next.
Cuttin' coal is
risky business, son.
Gotta hold your own
down here, understood?
Yes, sir.
And that story he told ya
about them boys dyin'
what got crushed?
That's a lie, we're
just jokin' with ya.
But men do hallucinate,
the methane gets to 'em.
Heaven, Hell, angels, demons,
I don't know men seen 'em all.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' on a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
Ow-ooh, ow, ow, ow, ow, ooh!
Yeah, I was
just messin' with ya, boy.
One more time!
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' on a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
Ow-ooh, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!
What number?
Number
seven, isn't it?
Hey, Ryan.
Now looky here.
You need to know the
escape ways outta here
should anything ever happen.
All right, yeah.
Right, so here's
the old works,
North Main, South Main.
Those are the three
lines into this place.
Yeah.
Now the primary escape way
is the way we just come in
through the entrance track.
- Yeah.
- Secondary is up
through the fan house
along the conveyor passage.
Belt, the...
The belt that's
right here, right here.
That's where the conveyor runs.
All right.
Now, if all else fails,
you get your ass right here.
This is the North Main Chamber.
Yes sir, yes sir.
Hey, right here,
North Main Chamber.
North Main Chamber.
It's where we
got a refuge cache,
which has got air,
tools, and whatnot.
Refuge catch?
- Cache.
- Cache.
Refuge, your daddy
calls it a safety coffin.
Why does he call
it a safety coffin?
Safety, well, 'cause
the fuckin' thing
is shaped like a damn coffin.
- Right?
- Yeah.
And if you need it, you're
probably dead already.
But, some shit hit the
fan, I guarantee you
they'd call it a refuge cache.
Hey, looky here.
I been doin' this
damn near 30 years.
Your family has got almost
two centuries underground.
Yeah.
Gon' be fine, son.
- Yeah.
- All right.
Now you go over there,
have Daniel show you
how to bolt the roof.
Yes, sir.
You
wanna shut that off?
Yo, hey.
Shut it off, man.
Shut it off!
Damn.
Hey yo, are we makin' that
damn turn yet or what?
No, we still got
three full cuts today.
Go to short cuts if ya have to.
And no more rock fallin'
through, Rooster.
I don't give a
shit about the rocks!
The dust what's gonna kill us!
Yeah, I hear ya.
Tiny, get back there and see
if you can fix that
suppression control.
And wet us down
before we flame up.
Yes, sir, I'm on it.
Look right here.
What we got here is
our plate, all right?
All right,
all right, okay.
See this right here?
This what, hey, focus, man.
That's how you get
hurt down here.
- All right?
- Yeah.
It's what keeps these mines
from droppin' on our head.
Straight hole, straight
bolt, loose pin set.
Ya got it?
Yeah.
Come on.
Get up!
Nothin' but a shift
in the roof, come on.
Get used to it,
happens all the time.
- Hey, hey.
- Don't wanna die
Take a deep breath, breathe.
Boo!
Everybody all right?
Yeah, that rookie's all right.
Get it fixed.
If you need help, ask for it.
- Hey, Rooster.
- Ho!
Get that miner goin'.
Change of plans.
We're goin' down
entry one before long.
Hold it!
Ryan, get back to
dustin' walls, go on.
Boss, I'm gonna get down to
that power station, all right?
All right, well
be quick about it.
You hear that?
Y'all can hear that?
Hey, we gotta move.
She's comin' down, boys!
Run, run, out, out,
past the rim, go!
Dad!
Everybody, everybody,
pass the rim.
Everybody, out past the rim.
Past the rim, move!
Kenny!
Kenny, Kenny, let's go.
You trust it to God.
Come on, go!
Zeke, Zeke!
Daniel!
Judas Priest.
We got ripped through.
Yeah, we
got ripped through.
Ryan!
Ryan!
Oh no.
Ryan, Ryan, you all right?
You all right, son?
Did ya get pegged?
Damn.
God saved us.
God saved us, did He?
Well, you go ahead and thank Him
for puttin' us plum in
the middle of this shit.
We lost Harper, Tiny.
Miller's dead.
It's okay, son.
Think maybe we should
pray for him, then.
Where's Daniel?
I saw Daniel.
It don't look good.
Shit, no.
Hey, you know
you killed me, huh?
You know I'm gonna die down here
- because of you?
- Hey!
Listen, son, you listen good.
- You keep your shit together.
- Knock it off!
- Now or never!
- Who knows
which direction that
blast came from?
I thought it came from out
behind the Mains back there.
Mains is that way.
Kenny's right, Kenny's right.
My back was facin'
somewhere, out by the mouth.
I think it came
from behind me.
I think whichever
way we choose,
we're still a long way from
the Mains no matter what.
Yes we are.
- Shit.
- All right.
Well let's spread out and
find those boys, all right.
And if they didn't make it,
then just put 'em together
so that others can find 'em.
And strip 'em of their
lights and rescuers,
tools, curtains, anything,
anything we can find
to help us get outta
here, all right?
Spread out and
let's get workin'.
All right.
All right, boys, holler out.
Harper!
- Harper!
- Hello?
Help.
Hello?
Help.
Daniel!
Oh, Tiny.
He just had a newborn, James.
Come on.
Oh.
Our Father who art in heaven.
Coal miner, coal miner.
I can get ya home, brother.
Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done
on Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who
trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
I'm sorry, man.
Let's go, let's go,
let's go.
Us from evil, for
thine is the kingdom
and the power and glory.
Forever, amen.
God bless you, Tiny.
Sorry, I'm sorry, buddy.
All right, let's go.
There's more.
What about
Daniel and Smitty?
Smitty's right
over here behind me.
I suggest ya leave him be.
No.
All right, gather up
anything and everything
you can find and put
it in the powder bag.
If I'm right about the explosion
and we find the North
Main, we can hole up there
and hope that someone arrives.
All right, let's move.
Be careful, fellas.
- All right!
- Yeah.
Eh, get the boy.
Come on, boy.
I see ya back 'ere.
Come on.
I found the lifeline.
See that there?
- There we go.
- Look at that.
Watch your foot.
Hey, Kenny.
You feel that, Zeke?
What's that?
The fan's still runnin'.
That's a good
sign, little brother,
that's a good sign.
Damn it!
Goddamn it, the whole
fuckin' panel's caved in.
Well which way now?
Well I guess we gotta
find a secondary, John.
Well what if we
find an old route
out through the travel road?
Naw, naw, there's
a fire down here.
It's surely gon' be burnin'
there, by the old works?
Come on.
Oh for God's sake, Kenny.
Goddamn it, really?
We're in a world of
shit no matter what.
John.
What?
Don't you dare.
I was there when you
got your 10 year chip,
do you remember that?
Yeah.
- You remember that?
- Yeah.
Remember how hard
fought that was?
Yeah.
We're gon' get outta here.
And then what?
There ya go.
You go ahead, son.
You deserve that.
Fellas, there's
somethin' I gotta tell you.
What?
I called MSHA.
Aw!
I told 'em we
got no mine rescue,
I told 'em about the methane,
I told 'em about the pumps,
I told 'em all of it.
Well then you
fuckin' killed us
we don't dig
ourselves outta here.
Teresa woulda sent
the second shift
down to help dig us out.
You wanna put those boys
in danger, too, right?
Is that you?
- Is that what you want?
- What do you mean?
What do you mean?
I tell you what it means.
If MSHA knows that we
aint' got no mine rescue,
they ain't sendin' no men
into a tickin' time bomb.
That's what that means.
What?
By the book, Zeke.
You always gotta be
by the fuckin' book.
We voted!
Yeah, we voted.
Now we are down here
on our own, fellas.
And if you wanna live,
we gotta stick together.
Is that understood,
little brother?
John, grab a hold
of that lifeline
and you get us back to the
Mains, you understand me?
Yes, sir.
Come on, Kenny.
Oh boy.
You just keep movin'.
All right, boys.
Number Nine, can you hear me?
Number Nine, can you hear me?
Damn it.
Mine
Safety and Health.
Hello, this is Teresa
Lang, mine manager at Salvia.
This is an emergency.
Transferrin' now.
Power.
We gotta slow down.
I can't get a breath.
Oh, we got smoke, boys.
Move, we got smoke!
- Go, go, go, go, go!
- Go, go!
Let's go, go.
We gotta!
Put up a curtain,
get a curtain up.
Get that curtain up!
Pull it tight.
Keep goin'.
Hold it, put that there.
Yes sir, pull
it tight, just like that.
Cover that hole,
boys, cover that hole.
Ready for the pull.
Get it in there.
Hey, Ryan, grab your hammer.
Looky here, just pound
up on the roof post
three times, all right?
Yeah.
Then wait a few
seconds, pound again.
Like that over and over.
It's a long shot,
but maybe ,
maybe the surface'll hear us.
Right here?
Just right on the plate.
Hold on, wait, wait, listen.
All right, go ahead.
God.
- We need help!
- Hey, hey, hey!
- Help!
- Come on now, listen, listen.
Save it.
Gonna need every
last bit of air.
Very good.
Ryan, Ryan, look at me.
It's okay.
Come on.
Come on!
Come on!
♪ Miner, coal miner ♪
- Coal miner.
- No!
Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.
- Coal miner.
- Just breathe.
Come on, breathe
in, breathe out.
- Coal miner.
- Breathe.
♪ That you're goin' ♪
♪ You're a coal miner ♪
♪ Coal miner ♪
John!
I don't wanna die down here.
We'll all escape.
James Elroy speakin'.
Mr. Elroy, I'm
reportin' a potential
methane ignition underground
at Salvia Number Nine.
The power's off and
the trackin' is down.
Where did it come from?
It must have started
in the old works.
We have no mine rescue team
and the outside
foreman is out sick.
I want you to cease all efforts
immediately, you hear me?
Not one damn thing.
You stand by.
We will tell you
what where and how.
Yes, sir.
Smoke.
All right, come on,
put on your rescuers.
Curtain ain't workin'.
I ain't gettin' air in mine.
Mine's not workin'.
Take this
one, take this one.
Get that on him.
Breathe, breathe.
- There we go.
- All right?
All right, men, listen up.
From this point forward no
one takes off their mask.
All right?
No talkin', no nothin'.
That gas can kill you
in seconds, all right?
We have less than
one hour of oxygen.
One hour?
One hour of air?
It is gettin' evil
out here, gentlemen.
One hour,
one hour of air.
- Let's move.
- One hour.
One hour of air.
And let's live.
One hour,
one hour of air.
One hour, one hour of air.
One hour, one hour of air.
One hour, one hour of air.
Phone!
Unit Two to surface.
I repeat, Unit Two to surface.
Come in, surface.
Unit Two, copy.
How many of you are down there?
Four!
- Four miners.
- Okay!
I repeat, four miners.
We're on our way to the North
Main in the traffic way.
We're 50 breaks up from...
Look out!
It's trapped.
It's wedged.
Pull his leg, get the leg,
get the leg, get the leg!
John, it's all right.
- You all right?
- Good job, son.
We're gon' get ya out.
I see a man door.
You're all right.
Oh, don't look at it.
Don't look at it.
Ryan, you help John.
Okay, yes sir.
We gotta try to get
through the man door.
Kenny.
Kenny.
There was a methane
explosion in the Number Nine.
We have four of the nine
miners trapped two miles in by.
They more than likely
had their rescuers on
for 30 minutes by now.
We can not afford another
Long Creek on my watch.
Now we're gon' get those
men out of there, Teresa.
I promise you that, all right?
Now do you have
any dynamite here?
In the shed, we
got six sticks.
All right, good.
Now you keep it
right there for now.
Now how far is that
communication line gonna get me?
Two miles.
All right, we'll go on in
there when it's safe, all right?
They only have 30
minutes of air left.
If we are wrong,
we're not gonna lose
just nine men,
we're gonna lose 12.
I lost 11 men once when
this same thing happened.
Stop, stop!
It's all right, little brother.
You okay, John?
You're okay, John, you're okay.
We got no choice,
this is our only way out.
Three, two.
John!
John!
Listen to me.
John's gone.
We got to get
through the man door.
It's fillin' up in here.
So listen up.
One, two, three.
You ready?
Okay.
Come on.
Okay, right here,
right here, right here.
I got ya, I got ya.
Zeke, Zeke.
I gotcha.
All right, okay.
The water's drainin' outta here.
We gotta keep movin'.
Come on, this is better,
we gotta keep movin'.
Where's
John, where's John?
- Kenny.
- No.
John's gone.
- No!
- John's gone.
- He is, come on.
- No.
Come on, we gotta move, now.
Go!
Not far, not far.
- We okay?
- Man through.
Come on.
One behind the other.
Keep that communication
line comin'.
That's it, come on.
That's the approach.
Hey, hold it back there.
12% oxygen, 15% methane.
All right,
it's the rescuer cache.
Damn it!
Nothin' but red tags.
Ain't nothin' but red tags.
What's wrong?
It's empty.
No air for us.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Unit Two to the surface.
Hey, can anyone hear me?
Unit Two to the surface, over.
I repeat, Unit Two
to the surface.
Move.
- Come on!
- Hey.
We need help,
hey, we need help.
Anyone, come on.
God!
I think it's dead.
Son, I'm sorry for
bringin' you down here.
Just keep breathin'.
Just breathe what you got.
This is everything.
Lie down.
- It's okay.
- Dad?
It's okay, just rest.
Oh, just rest.
- Zeke.
- Stop.
Stop, stop.
But men do hallucinate
when methane gets to 'em.
Heaven, Hell, angels, demons.
I don't know, men seen 'em all.
Zeke.
Zeke, is that you?
Zeke, it's me, Daniel.
Daniel!
Yeah, yeah, it's me, it's me!
What happened?
Got all the way up
here to the chamber
and the damn roof fell in on me.
Daniel, we're
not gonna be able
to get this wall down.
That's funny, Zeke.
Ya know, I had a dream.
I had a dream that
you were gonna
be the one that
saved me.
Ya got air over there?
Yeah.
Yeah, I got air, I just,
hey I'm losin' a
lot of blood here.
And I can't feel my arm.
We got, I don't know,
maybe five, maybe 10 minutes
of air left, Daniel.
Five or 10.
Can you
see a phone, Daniel?
I think there's one
a few breaks back.
Zeke, I
wanted you to know
somethin', man.
You've always been badass.
I need you to do
me a favor, man.
I need you to cut
this damn arm off
so I can help get us outta here.
Now I know one of
you's got a saw, okay?
So you gotta do it.
What?
Daniel, you're not
thinkin' clearly.
I'm not gonna
lay here and listen
to all you guys die
and watch myself bleed to death
when I know I can get outta here
and at least try
to do somethin'!
You gotta do it, man.
All right, when
I count to three.
All right, I'ma
count to three, okay?
You gotta cut that
damn thing off.
- No, hold on.
- Heard what he said.
He's our only chance
- for help.
- Ryan, he's delusional.
Let me, he's our only
chance for help, all right?
And he'll bleed to
death first.
Hey, hey.
Wait a minute, man, wait.
Oh dear God, please.
Please get me the heck
outta here, please.
Please help me.
Better catch that ball, boy.
You gonna gimme a sticker?
Gimme a sticker
for my little boy.
I love you.
Give your mommy a hug
for me, all right?
Dad, no.
It's
Kenny, ya hear me?
Gon' count to three.
Okay, let's do this on three.
All right, here we go.
One,
two,
three!
Dad!
Just go!
Come on,
get up, Uncle Zeke.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Let me see if I can
get me out.
Oh, son of a bitch.
Mains, Mains!
We're on our way.
How many of you are down there?
We're trapped!
You gotta blow the rock!
Dynamite, now.
Northeast panel.
Get through the wall.
Dynamite.
Dynamite!
12%
oxygen, 18% methane.
Three blinks we'll
do another reading.
Keep movin' forward,
keep movin' forward.
I am goin' forward.
Mr. Elroy.
Mr. Elroy, do you hear me?
Copy.
Teresa?
You have to blow the wall.
The wall fell and
the men are trapped.
I've got dynamite.
I'm followin' your
line down now.
No, you
stay on the surface.
I'm followin'
your line down now.
Gotta go back to the Mains.
Teresa.
I'm here.
I'm all right!
Teresa.
Get it to
the northeast terminal.
Get outta here, now.
- Go!
- Go!
Northeast terminal.
- Come on.
- Go!
- Come here, Kenny.
- No.
Kenny.
Tell Grace that my faith
was always with her.
Come on.
This is it.
Get the sticks out.
Just need a pound.
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Anyone in there?
We're gonna blow
it in 10 seconds.
Move away from the wall.
10,
nine,
eight,
seven,
six,
five,
four,
three.
We need more time!
♪ Well can't ya hear
somebody callin' ♪
♪ Who will go and work a day ♪
♪ While the fields are ripe ♪
♪ And the harvest waiting ♪
♪ Who will bear
these sheaves away ♪
♪ Here am I, Lord ♪
Hey.
Hi, thank you so much.
Got a telephone here?
Hello, Grace.
- Kenny.
- Hi.
Ma'am, how are you?
- Good, good to see you.
- Good to see you.
How are you doin', Daniel?
How you doin' today, huh?
Hey, get back here
and gimme a hug.
Hey, Aunt Grace, hey.
Are you eatin' enough?
Yes'm, yeah.
You don't come
and see me anymore.
You know, I been real busy
since movin' out to the farm.
You warm?
Susie, keepin' you warm?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Oh, I appreciate it, I'm good.
Okay.
I'm gon' see my son.
All right then.
Hey, Dad.
- Son.
- Yeah.
- You all right?
- Yeah.
Everybody, Danny and me
wanna thank you so much
for comin' out today.
It's a very special day for us.
Russell's 10th birthday.
I know it's hard, but we
will never forget those
who aren't here with us
today, those we've lost.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' on a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord ♪
God.
♪ To let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord
let me come out again ♪
Stevie Looney, about 20 years.
Name's Travice Hurley.
I've got about roughly
7 1/2 years underground.
David Beverly,
goin' on 20 years.
Cock, and I've worked the
coal mines for 42 years.
My name's Dan Justice
and I been coal minin'
for about 45 years.
Patrick Boggs, I been
a miner for 13 years.
My name's Nathaniel Stacy.
I been workin' underground
for about 10 months now.
My dad was a coal miner.
I followed in his footsteps.
Just a family
tradition.
It's in my blood,
that's all my dad done.
Like I said, I was
raised into it.
It's the lifestyle
I was raised in
and I just kinda
picked it up myself.
Real coal miners
that'll go do it,
take care of the job, do
whatever they need to do,
and be right there beside
you no matter what,
there's not many of us left.
That's right.
Coal mining is a way of life.
It's in my blood, I love it.
It's a dangerous job,
it's a dirty job,
but it pays the bills.
He works seven days a week,
and I work six, and
sometimes seven,
and we're here anywhere
from 13 to 15 hours a day.
So, not much family life.
You gotta hunt for it to get
an hour or two with the family.
Yup.
Absolutely gotta
hunt for the time.
It's hard on ya,
it's hard on your body.
It takes a beaten.
Time consuming.
You spend more time
here than ya do
with your families, mainly.
Ya know, you spend 10,
12 hours a day here.
You might spend a couple
hours with your family
and then ya gotta go to bed,
get up for the next day.
Those are your best
friends under there, ya know.
You work together,
you talk together.
You spend more time with
them than you do your family.
Ya know, so, you
can kinda figure
what kinda bond ya have and
what they actually mean to ya.
It don't matter what it is.
They'll be there.
All you gotta do is ask.
That's right.
You holler, somebody's comin'.
He won't be runnin' away from
ya, he'll be runnin' to ya.
When I go underground,
I know I've got help
if I need help.
They're there.
They don't get mad,
they come help me.
I do the same for them.
This is my family.
It's a lot harder
than what people think.
Ya know, I mean, you get up,
I know most jobs you work
five and six days a week,
but here you're back in a
hole probably two, three miles
and you don't know if you're
gonna see daylight every day.
You just change the date.
Ya know, a lot of people
goes in, works in a buildin',
no worries, no nothin', and
underground you never know.
Ya know, anything can happen.
Back where I lived
at, UBB blew up.
That wasn't four
miles from my house.
29 men got killed.
I knew probably 90% of 'em.
Ya know, I mean,
it's just dangerous.
Ya know, everybody
gotta watch everybody.
When you start out, you
love it or you hate it.
That's really all I know.
He quoted the Bible
from time to time and
he said you get to know
the Lord workin'
deep in the mine
He raised two good
daughters and one fine son.
Any man would be proud
of the job he had done.
We had a couple more
drinks and I took him home.
And after meeting his
wife, I wrote this song.
She talked of the danger
deep in the mines,
the grief and the
worry all the time.
And the way she talked,
I knew he had black lung.
A high price to pay
for a job well done.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
I never realized
'til I came to this town
just how many men are
workin' under the ground.
And to do what they do,
it takes a special breed,
supplyin' our country
with the coal we need.
And I'm gonna tell a
story throughout the land
about the West Virginia,
Carolina coal minin' men.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
Now I'm not makin'
heroes outta men who dig coal,
but neglectin' the mines
has taken its toll.
Did you ever see a cave
in down at the mine,
with women and children
a-waitin' in line?
God only knows what
they were thinkin' about
when they sealed the
mines for the ones
they couldn't get out.
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Well can't ya hear
somebody callin' ♪
♪ Who will go and work a day ♪
♪ While the fields are ripe
and the harvest waiting ♪
♪ Who will bear
these sheaves away ♪
♪ Here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Oh Lord, send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Here am I, oh Lord, send me ♪
♪ And though I do
not have religion ♪
♪ I don't pray
down on my knees ♪
♪ But I believe a song
might do some healin' ♪
♪ I believe a tune
can bring some peace ♪
♪ And though I do
not live for heaven ♪
♪ Like the Bible tells me to ♪
♪ I put my faith into
this here music ♪
♪ Won't you come help
me carry the tune ♪
♪ Well here am I ♪
♪ Lord send me ♪
♪ Oh, here am I ♪
♪ Oh Lord send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Here am I, oh Lord, send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Here am I, oh Lord send me ♪
♪ Oh my ♪
♪ Soul is still the mine ♪
♪ That old Devil
got a hold on me ♪
♪ Two miles down and
the blind can't see ♪
♪ Yes it's this ♪
♪ Mountain deep ♪
♪ And I'll dead
from methane be ♪
♪ And me, I'll dead
from methane be ♪
What do you need?
Hey, it's startin'
to get shaky back here!
Ain't sure how much
longer she's gonna hold!
Don't
worry, hold the work.
Just now.
Shit.
Hey, we got methane.
Tell Johnny to shut
down the fire safes.
All hands makin' a
wind curtain, let's go.
Methane, methane,
let's go, boys!
- Move, now, move, move.
- The man trip is down.
The man trip is down.
Get that
curtain set up!
It's
comin', I can smell it.
I got it, I got it,
got it, got it, got it.
- Where'd ya get it?
- I don't know.
The damn thing won't go.
We ain't got time.
Let's go, come on.
- Give it away.
- Tack it.
- Look over there.
- Tack it.
- Pull it tight.
- Tack it!
- Almost.
- Hold it up.
- Get it up, get it up.
- Get the left side.
Go, go, go,
go there on the left.
- Keep goin'.
- Watch your head.
- Hold onto it.
- You gotta get it
- up there, Kenny.
- Shit.
Come on, get
that side, get that up.
I got this,
you get down there now.
I got this, you
get down there, go!
- Go, go, go, go!
- All right, we've got one.
Do it from inside.
All right.
All right, you
taut, everybody good?
All right, nice job, fellas.
We good?
Ah, our Father.
Air velocity is...
- Lord in heaven.
- Now it's comin' up.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on Earth as it is in heaven.
- Good job, John, good job.
- Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom, Earth.
Give us this daily bread and
forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
For thine is the power
and the glory forever, amen.
It's all good.
Boys, we're sittin'
here talkin' in circles.
Ain't none of us really
come up with somethin'.
We gotta figure it out.
Well I say we go.
It ain't nothin' but free
heat's the way I look at it.
And I don't give a good goddamn
what my brother
finds down there.
Excuse me, John.
Yeah.
Paycheck's more important
than gettin' shut down.
Well we all need to put
food on our table, ya know?
My family needs me
to work, ya know?
We all do.
Paycheck ain't gon'
mean shit if you die
two miles in, Kenny.
Now we are filled
up with more methane
than any other
mine in this area.
If you call MSHA
and they come down
and go down in
that fuckin' mine,
they gon' shut us
down methane or not.
And what's he gonna do?
Smitty, what are you gon' do?
Tiny, what are you gon' do?
There ain't no fuckin' thing
- to do around here!
- That mine is a bomb, Kenny!
And we are all sittin'
right in the middle of it!
God's gonna protect us, hm?
God will not protect
us in Hell, John.
Now you've all seen
it, shift after shift.
It's gettin' worse and
worse, bigger and bigger.
Zeke, if I die down
below my family's
gonna get insurance.
Me up here without a job?
Hell, man, I'm worthless.
Well, fellas, the
sump pump in the section
can't keep up, all right?
And when it fails
we're gon' drown.
You wanna add that to the list?
You wanna add that
to the raft of shit!
I ain't blowed up or
drowned in 15 years.
Now I ain't scared, I ain't
tellin' y'all what to be.
What kinda fuckin'
logic is that?
Now all in favor of
diggin' some coal, say aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Settled.
Kenny, Ryan shouldn't be
goin' down there with us.
You fellas have a nice night.
What my boy does is none
of your goddamn business,
big brother.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- Easy.
- Let it go.
Come on now, look at me.
We voted, all right?
We're goin' back to work.
We're gonna put some food
on our tables, all right?
I say we go down, we
get us a few drinks,
and since John don't
drink, you're buyin', boy.
All right, what do
ya say, come on.
- What do ya say, you wanna go?
- Ha!
You wanna go.
Come on, Shitty.
Let's go get
somethin' to drink!
Ooh!
Who's gonna work, men?
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord to
let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord to
let me come out again ♪
♪ Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh-oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord to
let me come out again ♪
I already
asked, I need some soda.
Always the grillmeister.
Hey, church lady,
I'm sorry I'm late.
How was the service?
Was good.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
You're gonna get
coal all over you.
I'm not gonna get
coal all over me.
Pastor was askin' about
you again, though.
Oh was he?
Mm-hmm.
Askin' after my soul
or another donation?
Be nice.
Ya know, I wish you'd
let me take this thing off.
All right, honey.
- You're one to talk.
- In another life.
Now go, say hi.
Say hello.
Yes, ma'am.
You wanna be a miner?
Eh, ya know what, why
don't you study in school
and see how good
you can do there?
How's that?
Hey, get outta here,
go enjoy your party.
Your party.
Rather see that boy in a
football helmet than a hardhat.
Yeah, I agree.
Mornin', Uncle Zeke.
None of that Uncle Zeke stuff
when we're in the
mine, understood?
Yes, sir, yeah.
First day
underground is not like
your first day in kindergarten.
I hope those boots
are waterproof.
That mine goes a hell of
a lot deeper underground
than the water table is.
What's the water table again?
It is the lowest point
to where the water sits.
It's geology.
- On me, me.
- Okay.
Look, the stream is
no more than 60 feet deep.
Rivers, lakes, wells,
no more 'n 200 feet.
We are cuttin' coal
2,000 feet deep.
We take on water, that's
just the way it is.
Okay, I'm so confused.
I told him all that.
I told you three,
four times already.
Hey,
hey, hey, come on.
I don't wanna hear none of
that holier than thou bullshit.
Now don't you make an ass
outta me down there today.
'Cause I don't even
wanna be here right now
- with you, huh?
- Boy.
I'm tired of your shit.
- I pay for your pillow!
- I'm tired of you
touchin' me, I'm tired
- of your shit.
- Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, you get back here, boy.
Boy!
Hey, 18 all right?
All right?
He is 18.
We was both in the
fuckin' war at 18, John.
I know that, Kenny.
Now he's just a boy,
and he's got a bit
of your blood in him.
Now go sit down.
What'd I tell
you about drinkin'
before your shift, Kenny, huh?
What did I tell you?
- Stop!
- Go home.
- Ryan!
- What?
You don't have to do this.
Listen, my dad ain't like
your parents, Missy, all right?
What don't you
understand about this?
I don't have time to sit
in this damn town
and wait for you.
And I'm not able
to go with you.
I don't even have
gas money, ya know?
Happy birthday, Russell.
What do you say, Russell?
Thank you.
Grace.
Hi, Susie.
Hi.
Did you get the call
about the reunion?
Yeah.
Are ya goin'?
You have a good day, Teresa.
Hey, Russell.
And I hope you and Salvia
are takin' good
care of my husband.
Have a good day.
Shame on you, Daniel, for
goin' back down there.
Shame on all of y'all!
I ain't sittin'
here another minute.
Russell, get to the car.
Get.
Two hours, fellas, two hours.
♪ He loves guitar ♪
♪ But he's just gone ♪
Teresa, wait up.
What is it?
The sump pump on Nine
is on life support.
All right, I'll put in
another work order, then.
Work orders don't mean
shit around here, Teresa,
everybody knows that.
Hell, we don't even
have a mine rescue.
You ain't diggin' enough coal,
so they're forced to make cuts.
Oh that's bullshit.
We dig more goddamn coal
than any mine in this area!
My apologies.
But the old works are
leakin' more methane
than I've seen in 30 years.
Where's the outside
foreman, huh?
He's still sick.
And no replacement?
When those pumps give
out, and they will,
then my men are gonna
drown two miles in,
unless an ignition
burns us up first.
What are you gonna do?
Are you gonna call MSHA?
And what happens
if I call MSHA, huh?
What happens when
MSHA shows up here?
They're gonna shut us down
and we're all screwed.
Is that what you want?
Everyone on your
crew starts on time.
Is that understood?
That's understood.
I am well aware that
just by makin' this call
I could be shuttin' us down,
and my men are not onboard
I want you to know,
but if somethin' were to happen,
we got no mine rescue, we
got no outside foreman.
It seems to me that
corporate cares more
about their coal reserves
and their machinery
than they do about their miners.
All right, well, we
will open up a case
first thing Monday morning.
Now I called MSHA to help
us today, not on Monday.
I understand, but
Mine Safety and Health
is not in the business
of shuttin' down
a mine without an investigation.
I got men goin' into that
mine tonight, do you understand?
I am fully aware,
but it's gonna
have to wait 'til
Monday mornin'.
Yes, sir, thank you very much.
All right.
Hey, son.
That's break 23, John.
It's gettin' worse.
Yeah, got it.
Hey, red hat.
Psst, hey, kid.
Your dad ever told about
Matt and Ben Fellows?
Naw.
You ain't never told him?
No, he didn't tell me.
Oh hell, they both worked
this whole section here
a piece back, good boys.
But since it's your first
time goin' underground,
I just thought maybe you should
just know somethin' about 'em.
Why?
Why?
Matt and Ben's first
eight days underground,
after every single shift,
they'd come out here
and said they seen
somethin', and it was on the,
what was it, ninth, ninth day?
Ninth day they
said Satan appeared
and he said if
you ever come back
down here again,
boys, you gon' die.
Hey hold up.
Did they come back down?
Hey, Daniel.
- Dad.
- He'll tell ya.
Did they
come back down?
Daniel'll tell you
in a minute, now.
Oh hell, they
didn't have a choice.
They have to work, right?
Yeah, but if we just
say hey, you know,
make it through what, 10 days?
You're good to go.
Yeah, it's moments like that
you come face to face with God.
Yeah, or Satan himself.
What happened?
Huh?
What happened to 'em?
Do I tell him?
The roof fell and
them boys dead.
They're here one second,
gone the next.
Cuttin' coal is
risky business, son.
Gotta hold your own
down here, understood?
Yes, sir.
And that story he told ya
about them boys dyin'
what got crushed?
That's a lie, we're
just jokin' with ya.
But men do hallucinate,
the methane gets to 'em.
Heaven, Hell, angels, demons,
I don't know men seen 'em all.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' on a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
Ow-ooh, ow, ow, ow, ow, ooh!
Yeah, I was
just messin' with ya, boy.
One more time!
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' on a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
Ow-ooh, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!
What number?
Number
seven, isn't it?
Hey, Ryan.
Now looky here.
You need to know the
escape ways outta here
should anything ever happen.
All right, yeah.
Right, so here's
the old works,
North Main, South Main.
Those are the three
lines into this place.
Yeah.
Now the primary escape way
is the way we just come in
through the entrance track.
- Yeah.
- Secondary is up
through the fan house
along the conveyor passage.
Belt, the...
The belt that's
right here, right here.
That's where the conveyor runs.
All right.
Now, if all else fails,
you get your ass right here.
This is the North Main Chamber.
Yes sir, yes sir.
Hey, right here,
North Main Chamber.
North Main Chamber.
It's where we
got a refuge cache,
which has got air,
tools, and whatnot.
Refuge catch?
- Cache.
- Cache.
Refuge, your daddy
calls it a safety coffin.
Why does he call
it a safety coffin?
Safety, well, 'cause
the fuckin' thing
is shaped like a damn coffin.
- Right?
- Yeah.
And if you need it, you're
probably dead already.
But, some shit hit the
fan, I guarantee you
they'd call it a refuge cache.
Hey, looky here.
I been doin' this
damn near 30 years.
Your family has got almost
two centuries underground.
Yeah.
Gon' be fine, son.
- Yeah.
- All right.
Now you go over there,
have Daniel show you
how to bolt the roof.
Yes, sir.
You
wanna shut that off?
Yo, hey.
Shut it off, man.
Shut it off!
Damn.
Hey yo, are we makin' that
damn turn yet or what?
No, we still got
three full cuts today.
Go to short cuts if ya have to.
And no more rock fallin'
through, Rooster.
I don't give a
shit about the rocks!
The dust what's gonna kill us!
Yeah, I hear ya.
Tiny, get back there and see
if you can fix that
suppression control.
And wet us down
before we flame up.
Yes, sir, I'm on it.
Look right here.
What we got here is
our plate, all right?
All right,
all right, okay.
See this right here?
This what, hey, focus, man.
That's how you get
hurt down here.
- All right?
- Yeah.
It's what keeps these mines
from droppin' on our head.
Straight hole, straight
bolt, loose pin set.
Ya got it?
Yeah.
Come on.
Get up!
Nothin' but a shift
in the roof, come on.
Get used to it,
happens all the time.
- Hey, hey.
- Don't wanna die
Take a deep breath, breathe.
Boo!
Everybody all right?
Yeah, that rookie's all right.
Get it fixed.
If you need help, ask for it.
- Hey, Rooster.
- Ho!
Get that miner goin'.
Change of plans.
We're goin' down
entry one before long.
Hold it!
Ryan, get back to
dustin' walls, go on.
Boss, I'm gonna get down to
that power station, all right?
All right, well
be quick about it.
You hear that?
Y'all can hear that?
Hey, we gotta move.
She's comin' down, boys!
Run, run, out, out,
past the rim, go!
Dad!
Everybody, everybody,
pass the rim.
Everybody, out past the rim.
Past the rim, move!
Kenny!
Kenny, Kenny, let's go.
You trust it to God.
Come on, go!
Zeke, Zeke!
Daniel!
Judas Priest.
We got ripped through.
Yeah, we
got ripped through.
Ryan!
Ryan!
Oh no.
Ryan, Ryan, you all right?
You all right, son?
Did ya get pegged?
Damn.
God saved us.
God saved us, did He?
Well, you go ahead and thank Him
for puttin' us plum in
the middle of this shit.
We lost Harper, Tiny.
Miller's dead.
It's okay, son.
Think maybe we should
pray for him, then.
Where's Daniel?
I saw Daniel.
It don't look good.
Shit, no.
Hey, you know
you killed me, huh?
You know I'm gonna die down here
- because of you?
- Hey!
Listen, son, you listen good.
- You keep your shit together.
- Knock it off!
- Now or never!
- Who knows
which direction that
blast came from?
I thought it came from out
behind the Mains back there.
Mains is that way.
Kenny's right, Kenny's right.
My back was facin'
somewhere, out by the mouth.
I think it came
from behind me.
I think whichever
way we choose,
we're still a long way from
the Mains no matter what.
Yes we are.
- Shit.
- All right.
Well let's spread out and
find those boys, all right.
And if they didn't make it,
then just put 'em together
so that others can find 'em.
And strip 'em of their
lights and rescuers,
tools, curtains, anything,
anything we can find
to help us get outta
here, all right?
Spread out and
let's get workin'.
All right.
All right, boys, holler out.
Harper!
- Harper!
- Hello?
Help.
Hello?
Help.
Daniel!
Oh, Tiny.
He just had a newborn, James.
Come on.
Oh.
Our Father who art in heaven.
Coal miner, coal miner.
I can get ya home, brother.
Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done
on Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who
trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
I'm sorry, man.
Let's go, let's go,
let's go.
Us from evil, for
thine is the kingdom
and the power and glory.
Forever, amen.
God bless you, Tiny.
Sorry, I'm sorry, buddy.
All right, let's go.
There's more.
What about
Daniel and Smitty?
Smitty's right
over here behind me.
I suggest ya leave him be.
No.
All right, gather up
anything and everything
you can find and put
it in the powder bag.
If I'm right about the explosion
and we find the North
Main, we can hole up there
and hope that someone arrives.
All right, let's move.
Be careful, fellas.
- All right!
- Yeah.
Eh, get the boy.
Come on, boy.
I see ya back 'ere.
Come on.
I found the lifeline.
See that there?
- There we go.
- Look at that.
Watch your foot.
Hey, Kenny.
You feel that, Zeke?
What's that?
The fan's still runnin'.
That's a good
sign, little brother,
that's a good sign.
Damn it!
Goddamn it, the whole
fuckin' panel's caved in.
Well which way now?
Well I guess we gotta
find a secondary, John.
Well what if we
find an old route
out through the travel road?
Naw, naw, there's
a fire down here.
It's surely gon' be burnin'
there, by the old works?
Come on.
Oh for God's sake, Kenny.
Goddamn it, really?
We're in a world of
shit no matter what.
John.
What?
Don't you dare.
I was there when you
got your 10 year chip,
do you remember that?
Yeah.
- You remember that?
- Yeah.
Remember how hard
fought that was?
Yeah.
We're gon' get outta here.
And then what?
There ya go.
You go ahead, son.
You deserve that.
Fellas, there's
somethin' I gotta tell you.
What?
I called MSHA.
Aw!
I told 'em we
got no mine rescue,
I told 'em about the methane,
I told 'em about the pumps,
I told 'em all of it.
Well then you
fuckin' killed us
we don't dig
ourselves outta here.
Teresa woulda sent
the second shift
down to help dig us out.
You wanna put those boys
in danger, too, right?
Is that you?
- Is that what you want?
- What do you mean?
What do you mean?
I tell you what it means.
If MSHA knows that we
aint' got no mine rescue,
they ain't sendin' no men
into a tickin' time bomb.
That's what that means.
What?
By the book, Zeke.
You always gotta be
by the fuckin' book.
We voted!
Yeah, we voted.
Now we are down here
on our own, fellas.
And if you wanna live,
we gotta stick together.
Is that understood,
little brother?
John, grab a hold
of that lifeline
and you get us back to the
Mains, you understand me?
Yes, sir.
Come on, Kenny.
Oh boy.
You just keep movin'.
All right, boys.
Number Nine, can you hear me?
Number Nine, can you hear me?
Damn it.
Mine
Safety and Health.
Hello, this is Teresa
Lang, mine manager at Salvia.
This is an emergency.
Transferrin' now.
Power.
We gotta slow down.
I can't get a breath.
Oh, we got smoke, boys.
Move, we got smoke!
- Go, go, go, go, go!
- Go, go!
Let's go, go.
We gotta!
Put up a curtain,
get a curtain up.
Get that curtain up!
Pull it tight.
Keep goin'.
Hold it, put that there.
Yes sir, pull
it tight, just like that.
Cover that hole,
boys, cover that hole.
Ready for the pull.
Get it in there.
Hey, Ryan, grab your hammer.
Looky here, just pound
up on the roof post
three times, all right?
Yeah.
Then wait a few
seconds, pound again.
Like that over and over.
It's a long shot,
but maybe ,
maybe the surface'll hear us.
Right here?
Just right on the plate.
Hold on, wait, wait, listen.
All right, go ahead.
God.
- We need help!
- Hey, hey, hey!
- Help!
- Come on now, listen, listen.
Save it.
Gonna need every
last bit of air.
Very good.
Ryan, Ryan, look at me.
It's okay.
Come on.
Come on!
Come on!
♪ Miner, coal miner ♪
- Coal miner.
- No!
Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.
- Coal miner.
- Just breathe.
Come on, breathe
in, breathe out.
- Coal miner.
- Breathe.
♪ That you're goin' ♪
♪ You're a coal miner ♪
♪ Coal miner ♪
John!
I don't wanna die down here.
We'll all escape.
James Elroy speakin'.
Mr. Elroy, I'm
reportin' a potential
methane ignition underground
at Salvia Number Nine.
The power's off and
the trackin' is down.
Where did it come from?
It must have started
in the old works.
We have no mine rescue team
and the outside
foreman is out sick.
I want you to cease all efforts
immediately, you hear me?
Not one damn thing.
You stand by.
We will tell you
what where and how.
Yes, sir.
Smoke.
All right, come on,
put on your rescuers.
Curtain ain't workin'.
I ain't gettin' air in mine.
Mine's not workin'.
Take this
one, take this one.
Get that on him.
Breathe, breathe.
- There we go.
- All right?
All right, men, listen up.
From this point forward no
one takes off their mask.
All right?
No talkin', no nothin'.
That gas can kill you
in seconds, all right?
We have less than
one hour of oxygen.
One hour?
One hour of air?
It is gettin' evil
out here, gentlemen.
One hour,
one hour of air.
- Let's move.
- One hour.
One hour of air.
And let's live.
One hour,
one hour of air.
One hour, one hour of air.
One hour, one hour of air.
One hour, one hour of air.
Phone!
Unit Two to surface.
I repeat, Unit Two to surface.
Come in, surface.
Unit Two, copy.
How many of you are down there?
Four!
- Four miners.
- Okay!
I repeat, four miners.
We're on our way to the North
Main in the traffic way.
We're 50 breaks up from...
Look out!
It's trapped.
It's wedged.
Pull his leg, get the leg,
get the leg, get the leg!
John, it's all right.
- You all right?
- Good job, son.
We're gon' get ya out.
I see a man door.
You're all right.
Oh, don't look at it.
Don't look at it.
Ryan, you help John.
Okay, yes sir.
We gotta try to get
through the man door.
Kenny.
Kenny.
There was a methane
explosion in the Number Nine.
We have four of the nine
miners trapped two miles in by.
They more than likely
had their rescuers on
for 30 minutes by now.
We can not afford another
Long Creek on my watch.
Now we're gon' get those
men out of there, Teresa.
I promise you that, all right?
Now do you have
any dynamite here?
In the shed, we
got six sticks.
All right, good.
Now you keep it
right there for now.
Now how far is that
communication line gonna get me?
Two miles.
All right, we'll go on in
there when it's safe, all right?
They only have 30
minutes of air left.
If we are wrong,
we're not gonna lose
just nine men,
we're gonna lose 12.
I lost 11 men once when
this same thing happened.
Stop, stop!
It's all right, little brother.
You okay, John?
You're okay, John, you're okay.
We got no choice,
this is our only way out.
Three, two.
John!
John!
Listen to me.
John's gone.
We got to get
through the man door.
It's fillin' up in here.
So listen up.
One, two, three.
You ready?
Okay.
Come on.
Okay, right here,
right here, right here.
I got ya, I got ya.
Zeke, Zeke.
I gotcha.
All right, okay.
The water's drainin' outta here.
We gotta keep movin'.
Come on, this is better,
we gotta keep movin'.
Where's
John, where's John?
- Kenny.
- No.
John's gone.
- No!
- John's gone.
- He is, come on.
- No.
Come on, we gotta move, now.
Go!
Not far, not far.
- We okay?
- Man through.
Come on.
One behind the other.
Keep that communication
line comin'.
That's it, come on.
That's the approach.
Hey, hold it back there.
12% oxygen, 15% methane.
All right,
it's the rescuer cache.
Damn it!
Nothin' but red tags.
Ain't nothin' but red tags.
What's wrong?
It's empty.
No air for us.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello, Unit Two to the surface.
Hey, can anyone hear me?
Unit Two to the surface, over.
I repeat, Unit Two
to the surface.
Move.
- Come on!
- Hey.
We need help,
hey, we need help.
Anyone, come on.
God!
I think it's dead.
Son, I'm sorry for
bringin' you down here.
Just keep breathin'.
Just breathe what you got.
This is everything.
Lie down.
- It's okay.
- Dad?
It's okay, just rest.
Oh, just rest.
- Zeke.
- Stop.
Stop, stop.
But men do hallucinate
when methane gets to 'em.
Heaven, Hell, angels, demons.
I don't know, men seen 'em all.
Zeke.
Zeke, is that you?
Zeke, it's me, Daniel.
Daniel!
Yeah, yeah, it's me, it's me!
What happened?
Got all the way up
here to the chamber
and the damn roof fell in on me.
Daniel, we're
not gonna be able
to get this wall down.
That's funny, Zeke.
Ya know, I had a dream.
I had a dream that
you were gonna
be the one that
saved me.
Ya got air over there?
Yeah.
Yeah, I got air, I just,
hey I'm losin' a
lot of blood here.
And I can't feel my arm.
We got, I don't know,
maybe five, maybe 10 minutes
of air left, Daniel.
Five or 10.
Can you
see a phone, Daniel?
I think there's one
a few breaks back.
Zeke, I
wanted you to know
somethin', man.
You've always been badass.
I need you to do
me a favor, man.
I need you to cut
this damn arm off
so I can help get us outta here.
Now I know one of
you's got a saw, okay?
So you gotta do it.
What?
Daniel, you're not
thinkin' clearly.
I'm not gonna
lay here and listen
to all you guys die
and watch myself bleed to death
when I know I can get outta here
and at least try
to do somethin'!
You gotta do it, man.
All right, when
I count to three.
All right, I'ma
count to three, okay?
You gotta cut that
damn thing off.
- No, hold on.
- Heard what he said.
He's our only chance
- for help.
- Ryan, he's delusional.
Let me, he's our only
chance for help, all right?
And he'll bleed to
death first.
Hey, hey.
Wait a minute, man, wait.
Oh dear God, please.
Please get me the heck
outta here, please.
Please help me.
Better catch that ball, boy.
You gonna gimme a sticker?
Gimme a sticker
for my little boy.
I love you.
Give your mommy a hug
for me, all right?
Dad, no.
It's
Kenny, ya hear me?
Gon' count to three.
Okay, let's do this on three.
All right, here we go.
One,
two,
three!
Dad!
Just go!
Come on,
get up, Uncle Zeke.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Let me see if I can
get me out.
Oh, son of a bitch.
Mains, Mains!
We're on our way.
How many of you are down there?
We're trapped!
You gotta blow the rock!
Dynamite, now.
Northeast panel.
Get through the wall.
Dynamite.
Dynamite!
12%
oxygen, 18% methane.
Three blinks we'll
do another reading.
Keep movin' forward,
keep movin' forward.
I am goin' forward.
Mr. Elroy.
Mr. Elroy, do you hear me?
Copy.
Teresa?
You have to blow the wall.
The wall fell and
the men are trapped.
I've got dynamite.
I'm followin' your
line down now.
No, you
stay on the surface.
I'm followin'
your line down now.
Gotta go back to the Mains.
Teresa.
I'm here.
I'm all right!
Teresa.
Get it to
the northeast terminal.
Get outta here, now.
- Go!
- Go!
Northeast terminal.
- Come on.
- Go!
- Come here, Kenny.
- No.
Kenny.
Tell Grace that my faith
was always with her.
Come on.
This is it.
Get the sticks out.
Just need a pound.
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Anyone in there?
We're gonna blow
it in 10 seconds.
Move away from the wall.
10,
nine,
eight,
seven,
six,
five,
four,
three.
We need more time!
♪ Well can't ya hear
somebody callin' ♪
♪ Who will go and work a day ♪
♪ While the fields are ripe ♪
♪ And the harvest waiting ♪
♪ Who will bear
these sheaves away ♪
♪ Here am I, Lord ♪
Hey.
Hi, thank you so much.
Got a telephone here?
Hello, Grace.
- Kenny.
- Hi.
Ma'am, how are you?
- Good, good to see you.
- Good to see you.
How are you doin', Daniel?
How you doin' today, huh?
Hey, get back here
and gimme a hug.
Hey, Aunt Grace, hey.
Are you eatin' enough?
Yes'm, yeah.
You don't come
and see me anymore.
You know, I been real busy
since movin' out to the farm.
You warm?
Susie, keepin' you warm?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Oh, I appreciate it, I'm good.
Okay.
I'm gon' see my son.
All right then.
Hey, Dad.
- Son.
- Yeah.
- You all right?
- Yeah.
Everybody, Danny and me
wanna thank you so much
for comin' out today.
It's a very special day for us.
Russell's 10th birthday.
I know it's hard, but we
will never forget those
who aren't here with us
today, those we've lost.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' on a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord ♪
God.
♪ To let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in a mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ Gonna ask the Lord
let me come out again ♪
Stevie Looney, about 20 years.
Name's Travice Hurley.
I've got about roughly
7 1/2 years underground.
David Beverly,
goin' on 20 years.
Cock, and I've worked the
coal mines for 42 years.
My name's Dan Justice
and I been coal minin'
for about 45 years.
Patrick Boggs, I been
a miner for 13 years.
My name's Nathaniel Stacy.
I been workin' underground
for about 10 months now.
My dad was a coal miner.
I followed in his footsteps.
Just a family
tradition.
It's in my blood,
that's all my dad done.
Like I said, I was
raised into it.
It's the lifestyle
I was raised in
and I just kinda
picked it up myself.
Real coal miners
that'll go do it,
take care of the job, do
whatever they need to do,
and be right there beside
you no matter what,
there's not many of us left.
That's right.
Coal mining is a way of life.
It's in my blood, I love it.
It's a dangerous job,
it's a dirty job,
but it pays the bills.
He works seven days a week,
and I work six, and
sometimes seven,
and we're here anywhere
from 13 to 15 hours a day.
So, not much family life.
You gotta hunt for it to get
an hour or two with the family.
Yup.
Absolutely gotta
hunt for the time.
It's hard on ya,
it's hard on your body.
It takes a beaten.
Time consuming.
You spend more time
here than ya do
with your families, mainly.
Ya know, you spend 10,
12 hours a day here.
You might spend a couple
hours with your family
and then ya gotta go to bed,
get up for the next day.
Those are your best
friends under there, ya know.
You work together,
you talk together.
You spend more time with
them than you do your family.
Ya know, so, you
can kinda figure
what kinda bond ya have and
what they actually mean to ya.
It don't matter what it is.
They'll be there.
All you gotta do is ask.
That's right.
You holler, somebody's comin'.
He won't be runnin' away from
ya, he'll be runnin' to ya.
When I go underground,
I know I've got help
if I need help.
They're there.
They don't get mad,
they come help me.
I do the same for them.
This is my family.
It's a lot harder
than what people think.
Ya know, I mean, you get up,
I know most jobs you work
five and six days a week,
but here you're back in a
hole probably two, three miles
and you don't know if you're
gonna see daylight every day.
You just change the date.
Ya know, a lot of people
goes in, works in a buildin',
no worries, no nothin', and
underground you never know.
Ya know, anything can happen.
Back where I lived
at, UBB blew up.
That wasn't four
miles from my house.
29 men got killed.
I knew probably 90% of 'em.
Ya know, I mean,
it's just dangerous.
Ya know, everybody
gotta watch everybody.
When you start out, you
love it or you hate it.
That's really all I know.
He quoted the Bible
from time to time and
he said you get to know
the Lord workin'
deep in the mine
He raised two good
daughters and one fine son.
Any man would be proud
of the job he had done.
We had a couple more
drinks and I took him home.
And after meeting his
wife, I wrote this song.
She talked of the danger
deep in the mines,
the grief and the
worry all the time.
And the way she talked,
I knew he had black lung.
A high price to pay
for a job well done.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
I never realized
'til I came to this town
just how many men are
workin' under the ground.
And to do what they do,
it takes a special breed,
supplyin' our country
with the coal we need.
And I'm gonna tell a
story throughout the land
about the West Virginia,
Carolina coal minin' men.
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪
Now I'm not makin'
heroes outta men who dig coal,
but neglectin' the mines
has taken its toll.
Did you ever see a cave
in down at the mine,
with women and children
a-waitin' in line?
God only knows what
they were thinkin' about
when they sealed the
mines for the ones
they couldn't get out.
♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪
♪ Coal miner, coal miner
shinin' your light ♪
♪ Workin' in the mineshaft
dark as the night ♪
♪ Whatcha gonna do
before ya go back in ♪
♪ I'm gonna ask the Lord
to let me come out again ♪
♪ Well can't ya hear
somebody callin' ♪
♪ Who will go and work a day ♪
♪ While the fields are ripe
and the harvest waiting ♪
♪ Who will bear
these sheaves away ♪
♪ Here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Oh Lord, send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Here am I, oh Lord, send me ♪
♪ And though I do
not have religion ♪
♪ I don't pray
down on my knees ♪
♪ But I believe a song
might do some healin' ♪
♪ I believe a tune
can bring some peace ♪
♪ And though I do
not live for heaven ♪
♪ Like the Bible tells me to ♪
♪ I put my faith into
this here music ♪
♪ Won't you come help
me carry the tune ♪
♪ Well here am I ♪
♪ Lord send me ♪
♪ Oh, here am I ♪
♪ Oh Lord send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Here am I, oh Lord, send me ♪
♪ Oh here am I ♪
♪ Lord, send me ♪
♪ Here am I, oh Lord send me ♪