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Documentary: Before the Flood
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Documentary: Before the Flood
"Before the Flood" is a documentary film by on-air director Fisher Stevens,
and crew producers are Leonardo DiCaprio, James Packer, Brett Ratner, Trevor Davidoski and
Jennifer Davisson Killoran, and Martin Scorsese as an executive producer. The film, which is 94
minutes long, with the narration by DiCaprio, explores the disastrous outcome of climate change,
the ignorance of which continued to escalate, and reveals the comments of different political
leaders and various specialists. The documentary was first aired at the Toronto International Film
Festival and was produced by the National Geographic Channel; thus, they could make it
available for the public to watch, for free. At the start of the documentary, DiCaprio narrates how
during his childhood, he was captivated by the artwork of Hieronymus Bosch, particularly in the
'The Garden of Earthly Delights,' where the globe symbolizes the world's destruction. This
makes the beginning very personal and paves the way for the issue of climate change and Leo's
call for it.
As seen in the documentary, DiCaprio goes to different parts of the world that
are so affected by climate change as; the melting Arctic ice, polluted air in China, and the cut
down trees in Indonesia (Elvladyman. (2019)). Such ground visits are then contrasted with
interviews of the scientists and activists, political figures and Hollywood stars to get the broad
picture of the problem. Currently, one of the most heart-wrenching episodes is with British-born
NASA scientist Piers Sellers, who has stage IV pancreatic cancer, to press for climate change
action before it is too late. Sellers' point of view from the space looks elegant yet journalistic,
which focuses on the vulnerability of the Earth.
The film also depicts how, in the US, business lobbies and politicians played
a major role in contributing to climate change denial. Such interviewees, explaining the workings
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of the world and global warming, depict how financial motives become an obstacle in addressing
the issue. Indeed, this aspect of the documentary is well pegged because it presents the
multifaceted realities that must be address for change to occur. Thus, one of the advantages of
"Before the Flood" lies in its capacity to explain the intricate details as well as the formulation of
the otherwise rather difficult to understand concepts. Science, including the causes and
consequences of climate change, is explained with the help of simple language and,
simultaneously, visuals, including documentary ones – videos of the melting glaciers and
burning forests. The genre of the film is dramatic – adventure. The cinematography is done by
Antonio Rossi; the scenes shot are breathtaking and depict the fragile balance of the ecosystems
supporting animal life, embedding the message deeply. The music composed by Trent Reznor,
Atticus Ross, Mogwai, and Gustavo Santaolalla heightens the feeling of the film and makes the
audience more sympathetic to the topic of the film. This way, the music enhances and underlines
the visions and the story in a synchronized way, giving an effective watching message.
Albeit, not without its fair share of negative reviews, the documentary has
many positives. It is possible that some of the moviegoers would be entirely focused on DiCaprio
and his fame, wondering whether he hijacked the movie. However, there are some
disadvantages: contacting dangerous places and showing viewers extreme situations can generate
fear, while DiCaprio’s commitment to the environmental issue and his popularity as an actor and
a representative of the global public can overshadow the climate change problem, if necessary.
“Before the Flood” there is a call to action – audience is encouraged to start
practicing sustainable living, and to pressure the leaders into making such changes. The
filmmakers’ action of agreeing to pay voluntary carbon tax for the emissions used in the making
of the production provide a clear and concrete action that supports the cause, apart from words, it
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leads by example. "Before the Flood" is an engaging and enlightening piece of work that is fit to
capture the audience's attention to the very important topic of climate change. With a
combination of emotion, specialists' interviews, and appealing imagery, the movie can positively
impact spectators and prompt them into action. It is a rather painful message that states that only
the joint actions of people can stop global warming and preserve the planet for their descendants.
Reference
Elvladyman. (2019, May 24). Before the Flood Full Movie National Geographic [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbEnOYtsXHA
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