Waterlife (2009) User Reviews

Very Contemplative View of Doom

[dalefried · 8/10 · 7 August 2010]

Like many exploratory documentaries intended as polemics, this ends up in that expected place where we are all doomed (which I agree with). The contemplative, quiet style makes this one more disarming than some of its shriller likenesses. In the end, however, it doesn't resonate in your gut like other, softer versions of its kind. Can't say why exactly, but just take a look Manufactured Landscapes for a truly devastating doomsday vision that we won't be able to escape from ... ever. Oh what a world we are handing off to future generations.

That's it. Shame. It doesn't leave us as ashamed as we should be after PCBs, Love Canal, introduced species, reduced yet more contaminated incoming water supplies, overfishing hazardous fish, that cute little whale a quarter of whom have cancer, and whatever else we have done. No Future ...

Generally good but sometimes over the top on fear side

[dougskiwhiting · 6/10 · 6 September 2015]

Where I take issue is the part on drinking water. They mention that there are ultra trace amounts of chemicals then weakly and with no basis mention a raft of human diseases. Then talk about a study that was suppressed. But really don't make any connection between the water in the great lakes and rates of diseases. There may be , certainly there are diseases which have higher rates in agricultural areas and by pulp mills.

The other parts where they showed how chemicals can effect animals was very solid. The part on drinking water was very hand waving and "my god won't someone think about the children".

Just another environmental extremism film

[SusieSalmonLikeTheFish · 6/10 · 23 October 2014]

What else is new? It seems like every day we're hearing about the dangers of smog, chemicals, global warming, etc. and for the most part it's just a scare tactic, directed by a bunch of hippies to convince us all that our planet is dying when the problem just isn't that bad.

On the bright side, this was a well researched movie with decent soundtrack. I think it deserves at least a 5/10 for that.

The problem is, it's way too extreme and melodramatic to set it apart from the countless other environmental alarmist stuff out there.

This is a pretty good documentary, but watch it with warning! You should watch The Great Global Warming Swindle or Not Evil Just Wrong as well, that way you can get both sides of the story.

I was horrified

[Prideth · 10/10 · 16 August 2011]

I disagreed with the reviewer who said this was too low key and didn't make him feel ashamed. I found it contributed in a major way to the shame for my species which has been building for many years.

The film also horrified and frightened me - we have been polluting the waters of the world too long and at the moment there doesn't seem to be much progress in dealing with this. Plus the time bomb of buried waste products which still may leach into the waters of the Great Lakes is very worrying. It makes me almost glad that I am getting on in years and unlikely to see the final devastating results of our neglect of Mother Earth.

Depressing but well done documentary

[juneebuggy · 7/10 · 22 January 2015]

A documentary examining the Great Lakes elaborate ecosystem and the threat posed by climate change and pollution (hello Detroit). Hmmm why do 50% of beluga whales have cancer? Lets go back along the food chain and up the river to find out. Lets get horrified, scared and depressed by what we see.

Some beautiful scenery here but mostly this just depressed the hell out of me. Why am I even bothering to recycle my meager tin cans & milk jugs when big companies are devastating the land and water and places like Chicago are still pumping their sewage into the waterways (you can't even touch the water there).

Frustrating and well done documentary with some cool little graphics of carcinogens floating about and explained in a Jurassic Park (cartoon) sort of way. 08.13

this is one of those 'tough to watch' docs

[esoterc_circle · 10/10 · 7 September 2012]

The reason being it just keeps hitting us with difficult situations in every environment it explores, where each time the situation looks pretty grim. If we are open to what the director is saying, and not just dismissing it all like some damn oil-man, we will have to admit that it IS a crying shame what our presence has really meant on this earth. This film deserves a considerably higher score than what it's been given.For its gritty nature I would definitely recommend this film to anyone concerned about the environment and our future here on the planet.At least we might last a little longer than some of those poor fish in the lakes...