Saturday, June 24, 2006

Movie Review part deux: An Inconvenient Truth

By Alex Bentley

An Inconvenient Truth

Humanity is sitting on a time bomb. If the vast majority of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet's climate system into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced- a catastrophe of our own making. If that sounds like a recipe for serious gloom and doom -- think again. From director Davis Guggenheim comes the Sundance Film Festival hit, "An Inconvenient Truth," which offers a passionate and inspirational look at one man's commitment to expose the myths and misconceptions that surround global warming and inspire actions to prevent it. That man is former Vice President Al Gore, who, in the wake of defeat in the 2000 election, re-set the course of his life to focus on an all-out effort to help save the planet from irrevocable change. In this eye-opening and poignant portrait of Gore and his 'traveling global warming show,' Gore is funny, engaging, open and downright on fire about getting the surprisingly stirring truth about what he calls our 'planetary emergency' out to ordinary citizens before it's too late.

Source: Cinema Source

• Showtimes and more on An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth may be just about the scariest and most frustrating film you’re likely to see this year. A documentary starring Al Gore (yes, that Al Gore), Truth highlights the massive problem that is global warming, the devastating consequences that have already occurred because of it, and the even more catastrophic events that may be yet to come if something is not done to reverse or curb its effects.

Sound boring? Trust me, it isn’t. And not least because Gore comes across as, oh, about 10 times more personable than he ever did during the 2000 presidential campaign (a factor that might have made the difference in that tightly-contested race, touched on briefly in the film). Alternately self-deprecating and highly engaging, Gore delivers what is quite possibly the most interesting and informative PowerPoint presentation in history. Lest you think the film is just a 100 minute slide show, though, the lecture is cut with scenes of Gore traveling all around the world to deliver the same speech, as well as reflections on Gore’s personal history.

Ironically, it is during these side scenes when the film loses some of its impact. Speaking as a Democrat, I am naturally inclined to want to listen to what Gore has to say. However, several of the cutaway scenes serve to politicize (and thus, polarize) the film more than is necessary. As Gore says, the science of global warming speaks for itself; it is impossible to deny the facts of polar ice caps melting, temperatures getting higher, and (scariest of all) storms, especially hurricanes, increasing in numbers and strength. However, in focusing on Gore’s clashes with Republicans in the past, the film occasionally berates conservatives for not paying more attention to this issue. In my mind, there has to be a happy medium between simply laying out the facts and hoping someone will notice what’s going on, and chastising those who willfully ignore the problems.

However, that is just a slight hiccup in a film that otherwise fascinates and frightens. Anyone who sees An Inconvenient Truth and doesn’t come away wanting to make changes in their own life must have extremely strong powers of denial. The ecological revolution starts at home, and it must start now.

Also check out Chad Jones's take on this film.

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Comments

John Meyer Staff

Alex, I have to agree: it's scary stuff.

And I now note that the scientific community backs Mr. Gore's arguments, an element I found lacking after my initial viewing of the film:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/...

All the more reason for this film to receive a wider viewing audience.

3 years ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )