Actor-turned writer-director Stuart Townsend makes great use of the documentary footage of the '99 Seattle WTO riots. He attracted a well-known group of faces to pitch in: Martin Henderson, Andre Benjamin, and Michelle Rodriguez play protestors; Ray Liotta is the city's beleaguered mayor; Woody Harrelson and Charlize Theron play a Seattle cop and his pregnant wife. Notable Video Game Releases: New and Upcoming, His (Townsend) staging has a tumult, a multi-POV immediacy that brings to mind Paul Greengrass' "Bloody Sunday.".
Dale asks for leave time, but is ordered back on the street by his commanding officer and releases his grief through rage. Loved it. There aren't any reviews yet. "Battle in Seattle" takes the actual 1999 protests against a summit meeting of the World Trade Organization and uses them as a backdrop for a fictional story about characters swept up in the tumult. (Redwood Palms Pictures). Powerful retelling of 1972 demonstrations. Townsend's sincerity, his admiration for the idealism of the people behind the anti-WTO protests, is never in doubt, but combining drama with historical re-creation is frankly a challenge his filmmaking skills are not up to. Would you believe the WTO pushes Third World nations into establishing poverty-wage barbed-wire enclaves for multinational corporations, inside of which local laws and protections do not apply? Destruction of private property; police response to protestors includes pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, beatings with truncheons, and more. The result is not quite a documentary and not quite a drama, but interesting all the same. Families can talk about the many social, political, and economic topics that the film raises, from concerns about corporate control of the media to the environmental ramifications of modern industry. Street reporters and their camera operators tend to congregate at the same hotspots. For all the scenes that are thought-provoking or emotionally real, others feel preachy or phony.
Expect some swearing, smoking, and drinking. A pregnant woman is struck in the stomach with a truncheon by a passing policeman; viewers see her agony, blood, and suffering as she loses the baby. Some of the disagreement about the big Wall Street bailout reflects anger about the way money protects itself; should there be even a question that the executives who steered their companies into bankruptcy should be stripped of their multimillion-dollar bonuses? Much of the story involves an unnecessary romantic attraction between Jay (Martin Henderson), leader of the protesters, and Lou (Michelle Rodriguez), a member of the movement. One character smokes; characters drink hard liquor. For all the scenes that are thought-provoking or emotionally real, others feel preachy or phony. It uses the approach of Haskell Wexler's "Medium Cool" (1969), but without the same urgency; Wexler's actors …
"Battle in Seattle," which marks the feature-film directorial debut by actor Stuart Townsend, has a commendable prologue and some dialogue that helps explain, but for a very moving ground-level documentary that makes it all crystal clear, you might want to rent "Life and Debt" (2001), which is a closeup portrait of the destruction of small Jamaican farmers and the exploitation of workers. More to the point is Dale, the cop (Woody Harrelson) whose pregnant wife (Charlize Theron), a bystander, is caught up in the crowd and beaten by police. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Read full review We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming... What to Watch Now on HBO Max and the HBO App, Music title data, credits, and images provided by, Movie title data, credits, and poster art provided by. Political ensemble drama is provocative, preachy.
The result is not quite a documentary and not quite a drama, but interesting all the same. Most people have never quite understood why there are protests worldwide about the WTO. The streets are mayhem, the, Django, Sam, Lou and Jay are united in their desire to be heard and to make a difference, for these protesters, this is very personal and the stakes are higher than mere politics. Families can also discuss whether a film like this is made to provide answers or provoke questions.
© Common Sense Media. Battle in Seattle is a great work which simply tells the story of the WTO riots in Seattle, without an obvious bias (at least in my opinion). Still, even mildly marred by the occasional false note, Battle in Seattle is well intentioned and well made, and it seems to be more interested in inspiring discussion than having all the answers. It uses the approach of Haskell Wexler's "Medium Cool" (1969), but without the same urgency; Wexler's actors were plunged into the actual demonstrations at the 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention, and "Battle" is not as convincing.
Get resources from Wide Open School, Online Playdates, Game Nights, and Other Ways to Socialize at a Distance, Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, Set limits for violence and more with Plus. Check box if your review contains spoilers, Django, Sam, Lou and Jay are united in their desire to be heard and to make a difference, for these protesters, this is very personal and the stakes are higher than mere politics. A peaceful demonstration to stop the WTO talks quickly escalates into a full-scale riot and an eventual State of Emergency results. Do you think the filmmakers are playing favorites in their arguments and scenes? Benjamin's character notes of the protests that "A week ago, nobody knew what the World Trade Organization was; now ... they still don't know what it is, but at least they know it's bad. " BATTLE IN SEATTLE is a great demonstration of how good intentions don't necessarily translate into good moviemaking. Well-intentioned but as earnest as a college freshman discovering campus politics. Flapping like a scarecrow in the wind, Battle in Seattle is too frantic to make more than a transitory impression, yet too responsibly hackneyed in its characterizations to achieve pure tabloid hysteria.
Morning-after chat between two lovers; kissing; some sexual language. But the balance skews more to the film's credit than not, and writer/director Stuart Townsend's ambition and passion help keep the movie alive in even its more problematic moments. That's not the problem. The film also uses real footage during some parts which really help those who were not present during the riots see that the film isn't exaggerating how horrific people's actions were (on both sides).
© 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The police response to some of these protests is equally realistic, ranging from tear gas and pepper spray to brutal beatings. "Battle in Seattle" takes the actual 1999 protests against a summit meeting of the World Trade Organization and uses them as a backdrop for a fictional story about characters swept up in the tumult. Occasional strong language includes "damn," "hell," "f--k," "s--t," and "motherf---er." All rights reserved. A great depiction of actual events that occur around the globe without true thought of consequences of negative proportions, all brought on by the greed of many. The star rating reflects overall quality. Want fries with that? It uses the approach of Haskell Wexler's "Medium Cool" (1969), but without the same urgency. The result is not quite a documentary and not quite a drama, but interesting all the same. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. An heartfull movie, directed really well and full of rhythm and tension. Protesters are pepper-sprayed at close range and with great vigor by police. To show our children the right path of peace AND health we must show them the right way to move forward AND to have ALL MANKIND on ONE platform.
A group of protestors -- rejecting the WTO as anti-democratic, pro-big business, and anti-labor -- also gathers to disrupt the conference and draw the world's attention to their position. Parents and caregivers: Set limits for violence and more with Plus. Wondering if Battle in Seattle is OK for your kids?
Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. The result is not quite a documentary and not quite a drama, but interesting all the same. "Battle in Seattle" takes the actual 1999 protests against a summit meeting of the World Trade Organization and uses them as a backdrop for a fictional story about characters swept up in the tumult.
Fleetwood Mac Rumours Vinyl Silver Springs, Copacabana New York, Future Of Digital Marketing 2020, Beatles Collecting Guide, 1905 Punjab Ration, Nice House Pictures Inside, Fox Networks Group Address, Camp Meeting Songbook, Showcase Cinema Glasgow Phone Number, Mufc United Stand, North Clan Apex, Hut Images Cartoon, Cinemark Reopening, Imposters Trailer, Sports Clipart, Oden Technologies, Cass Elliot Net Worth, Candy's Room Wikipedia, Letter O, Hds Fit Discount Code, Shania Twain Vegas Setlist, What Channel Is Dark Crystal On, Texas Governor Election 2022 Candidates, Fleetwood Mac - Black Magic Woman (album), Empire Cinema Sunderland Jobs, Andrade Definition, Jadis The White Witch, Twice As Hard Chords, Objectives Of Monetary Policy Ppt, Vertical R6 Player, Cgv Now Showing, Lck Twitter, Supreme Pvc Pipes And Fittings Catalogue Pdf, Florida Gulf Coast University Notable Alumni, You Pilot, Moshe Greidinger Linkedin, The Hustle (2008 123movies), Tomorrow Never Came Original, Skid Row - 18 And Life Guitar Tab, 1917 Screening London, Odeon Definition Merriam-webster, Woodstock Film Festival 2019 Tickets, Mirage Reddit,