Roland E. Zwick A companion-piece of sorts to "An Inconvenient Truth," "The 11th Hour" is an informative and compelling documentary about the adverse impact humanity is having on the place we call home.Written and directed by Leila Conners Petersen and Nidia Conners and produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, "The 11th Hour" shows how de-forestation, the polluting of the air and water, the over-consumption of fossil fuels, the overwhelming accumulation of waste, etc. are collectively contributing to the larger problems of global warming and climate change. It chronicles the impact such changes will have on the people of the planet, as widespread droughts, mega-storms and rising waters make themselves felt with ever-increasing frequency and force.As the filmmakers see it, the root of the problem lies in the disconnect between humans and the environment, in our self-absorbed insistence that nature is ours to subdue and dominate, not to live in harmony with. In an ironic twist of fate, it is that very attitude that may well lead to our ultimate destruction. For it is plainly evident that in a battle between humans and the planet that sustains us, the planet will emerge victorious in the end.After making its case on the scientific level, the movie then takes on the monetary and political forces that make addressing this issue so difficult to do on a practical basis. It goes after profit-driven multinational corporations – primarily the oil industry – for, essentially, buying politicians and, thus, effectively disenfranchising the everyday citizen and voter. But those citizens don't get off scot-free either, as the film makes the point that it is the near-universal obsession with rampant consumerism that greatly contributes to the problem.The last third of the film is devoted to finding solutions to the problem, to designing and developing new technologies that will actually help to make it possible for us to live in harmony with nature. The argument is that this new technology will ultimately result in a new economy, one based on clean-energy and recycled resources, rather than heavily polluting fossil fuels.Scientists, authors and other experts in the field – including Stephen Hawkings – are interviewed throughout the course of the film.The movie ends on an upbeat, power-to-the-people note, showing how all individuals can make a difference by raising their awareness and making informed and thoughtful choices in what they do and buy – and by getting involved.It's an inspiring message from an inspiring film.

jonson-joe Pleeease, no more Suzuki! We've seen enough of his face. All that hot air coming out his mouth - awfully boring. Does not say anything new. Anyone can yak about global warming, it's a fashionable topic and a good way to make money. Where is the real science? Maybe if you are from the planet of Mars and are absolutely new to the topic of Global Warming on planet Earth - then yeah, you can watch this movie. Perhaps these movie producers should shift their attention to other topics. Overpopulation is a good choice. But please, enough with the arm-waiving already. And next time include some solid facts and references. I gave it 1/10 cause it's boring, it's been told before a million times and it barely relies on facts.

anthony-burton I honestly believe this film should be compulsory viewing for everyone. It eloquently collects mankind's misdeeds with the use of stunning visuals, frank interviews with scientific, political and economic experts to offer a very sobering thought. It's not the world we're fighting to save, it's our species.Those who advocate doing nothing, and dismiss this as hippie-propaganda (of which there are many) would do well to read Darwin's theory of evolution and learn to understand natural selection. If you don't adapt, you don't survive.I have never understood people's utter disregard for our planet's wellbeing. I have studied science my whole life, always recycled and conserved energy. Because i've understood the earth's resources are finite, and our dependency on oil and gas which this planet has taken millions of years to accumulate and 'process' are going to run out very soon. I felt this film did an excellent job of explaining this in particular.Dispute our effect on the temperature of our planet all you like, but the way we live is going to change massively over the next 100 years. And the way we are going, we'd do well to survive at all at this rate. I hope this film affects people as much as it did me. I hope it makes a difference before it's too late.Mankinds model of endless consumption is fatally flawed, but changing this economic-centric system is possibly the greatest challenge we will ever face as a species.If this film doesn't make people sit up and pay attention, we deserve all we get.

bob the moo Although I'm far from backing up my ideals with all my actions, I am pretty much in the choir when it comes to this eco-message-documentary fronted by film-star Leonardo DiCaprio because I am liberal, make an effort to recycle and have the good taste to worry about my resource use (I know how that sounds but at least I'm honest). So for me it is not an issue to review the film without it turning into me taking issue with the overall message of the film. If anything I risk the other trap that many have fallen into – which is to review the message and not the film. So let me just get that trap out the way by saying that the message, in my opinion, is worthy and important and I have no doubt that all those involved in this film felt this and were keen to get it made and out to as big an audience as possible.Reviewing the film is a different thing altogether though because while the aim may have been to get the message out there and push this agenda, the actual film itself does the opposite due to the way it is delivered. The structure, content and style of the film is flawed across the board and it did put me off – leading me to wonder how someone who was sceptical to begin with would cope with the flaws in it as a film. Where The Inconvenient Truth builds its case and took the viewer along with it, 11th Hour just jumps right in and never stops hitting the viewer with information. Nothing wrong with that in concept but when it is done in a poorly structured and fast-paced way it does rather feel like you are being preached at by a hell-fire reverend rather than talked to or even lectured (in the academic sense of the word). The visuals don't help partly because they are just frantic and unnecessary at times but also because they clash with the much more sedentary talking heads that fill the vast majority of the running time. The end result is the feeling that the film is just trying to bully you into submission rather than carefully taking you down a path where even some sceptics will be conceding points.There is plenty of good stuff in here and those that are already won over may not even feel the flaws in delivery as they nod their heads in agreement. However, while I can agree on the importance of the message and the aims of the makers, good intentions alone do not make for a good film and here the delivery is consistently weak in a couple of key areas to the detriment of the film. A shame but this is one for the choir and even then it needs a chunk of good will to ignore the film and concentrate solely on the message.