A heart-wrenching, alarming and brilliantly crafted documentary about Chevron's desecration of the Ecuadorian Amazon, and the 27-billion dollar law suit in which indigenous peoples seek remediation and justice.
1 Comment
09/12/09
Crude (2009)
95
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:43
Fresh:41
Rotten:2
Average Rating:7.6/10
Consensus: Dynamic, tightly arranged, and deliberately provocative, Joe Berlinger's Crude is a sobering, enraging wake-up call.
Genre: Education/General Interest
Synopsis: Director Joe Berlinger continues in the tradition of his justice-driven films BROTHER’S KEEPER and PARADISE LOST with this documentary. CRUDE travels to South America, where it investigates the... [More]
Director: Joe Berlinger
Reviews for Crude
It will certainly remain in your mind the next time you stop for gas.
10/09/09
Crude is remarkably clear-eyed in the way it shows how even people on the right side of a cause only succeed if they’re willing to play a little dirty.
09/10/09
At first Crude looks like one more environmental agit-doc intended to outrage and inspire. Director Joe Berlinger is no doctrinaire hack, though.
11/05/09
A good cause does not necessarily a fully satisfying movie make.
08/28/09
A gripping, multifaceted thriller about media politics, global economics, and legal infighting. Wherever your sympathies fall, this may teach you a lot about the way the modern world works.
12/03/09
"Crude" is a knock-your-socks-off documentary that will leave you speechless. It's the best documentary of the year.
08/22/09
Berlinger gives a good amount of time to the big oil representatives, but it's clear that he's on the side of the people. Aside from that, Crude is a fine work of journalism.
09/10/09
A stinging indictment of the huge Chevron corporation, which has been sued for despoiling the Ecuadorian Amazon to the severe detriment of the indigenous population.
09/04/09
Embedded in the story are enough intriguing characters and moments of high human drama for it to function more like a piece of effective fiction than a work of overwrought agitprop.
09/11/09
It's a David-and-Goliath tale, full of anger and disturbing accusation, but it's also inspiring.
10/14/09
A well-balanced and thought-provoking documentary that doesn't forget the cinema-going experience needs to entertain as well as educate.
06/29/09
while Berlinger allows the film to get a little too star-struck, spending less time with the winningly humble patchwork alliance doing the lawsuit's hard work, Crude at least acknowledges the reason behind this shift
09/08/09
A legal thriller, it's a three-year investigation into the disaster environmentalists call the “Amazonian Chernobyl” that offers both sides of the story and leaves the viewer in the position of jury.
10/09/09
It's impossible to watch this film and not come away with a personal vow never to patronize the Chevron corporation again.
09/04/09
Involving doc about the devastating impact of oil exploration on Ecuador's rainforest community.
09/09/09
Top CriticLooking for another reason to leave your car at home? Go see Crude.
10/09/09
This isn't just a story of right and wrong, it's a story of money and media and, most of all, spin.
10/12/09
What Crude does best is take us behind the scenes and show in often candid detail how campaigns are waged, tactics decided on and strategies prioritized.
12/03/09
Top CriticKeeps a tight focus on a sprawling topic, condensing three years of production into a narrative that neatly lays out the history of the controversy, the opposing viewpoints and key players
09/09/09
Latest News for Crude
September 10, 2009:
Critics Consensus: 9 Looks Great, But The Plot's Weak
This week at the movies, we've got post-apocalyptic conflict (9, with voice work by Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly); Antarctic intrigue (Whiteout, starring Kate Beckinsale... More...
August 11, 2009:
Trailer & Poster review 
More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds