During the notoriously dry October movie season, it’s hard to find anything halfway decent on the silver screen. However, Joe Berlinger’s latest documentary, Crude, offers a welcome reprieve. Showing at the Ritz at the Bourse for just one week, Crude should give cinephiles all over campus a good reason to finally take a break from midterm mania.
Following the accused pollution of the Ecuadorian Amazon by Chevron-Texaco, the film takes a hard look at the catastrophic effects of one company’s shockingly unethical decisions. After decades of environmental disregard, billions of gallons of toxic petroleum pollute rivers and wells, killing animals, fauna and people alike. Truly a “David versus Goliath” story, Crude charts an epic struggle for retribution from an uncaring oil giant.
Luckily for viewers, this is a rare documentary that delivers almost everything it promises. Hard-hitting and intense, it features more drama and tension than most blockbusters. Crude isn’t just another documentary with a nice message; it’s a genuinely engrossing film, that proves that captivating storytelling is possible without movie stars or special effects.
Over the course of many years, Berlinger has carefully crafted this beautifully constructed movie. Despite damning evidence against the petroleum goliath, Berlinger attempts to give both the Ecuadorian people and Chevron-Texaco a voice, creating a balance and fairness that keeps viewers watching intently. By the time the movie ends and the credits roll, you’ll only wish that the movie didn’t end on such an unavoidable cliffhanger.
Within an hour and forty minutes, the film skillfully captures a people’s monumental pain and their ultimate struggle for justice. It’ll leave you horrified, shocked, saddened and mad as hell. You won’t soon forget Crude and its haunting message.
