Collapse (2009/FilmBuff/MPI DVD)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: B- Documentary: B
Peak Oil is a term that the extracting of oil worldwide
has passed the halfway mark and form there, it will only become more expensive
and hard to get. It is not only the
world’s primary fuel (whose waste does cause global warming), but many are
warning that bad timers are ahead because this is the petroleum age and all the
success of the industrialized nations depend on it. Chris Smith has had a mixed directing record,
but Collapse (2009) may be his best
work to date.
The film primarily is the testimony of Michael Ruppert, an
author, writer, former law official and now theorist of how the implosion of
the world as we know it is coming soon, but he actually has theories and
evidence of this. For nearly 90 minutes,
he thoroughly explains his position, including the implications of 9/11, bad
energy policy, the world economy as a practical pyramid scheme and that he
expects the end of our world as we know it will arrived by the end of Summer
2010. That last one is the big one, but
his track record is impressive and interesting enough that he and his
challenging ideas should be heard.
Even with an update in the extra that shows some of what
he said did come true, it was still not recent enough to factor in the BP Gulf
Coast disaster, but it is an interesting piece of discussion. No, I do not agree with everything he said
and some points could be debated, including one grim prediction that may be too
optimistic!
However, it is not just exploitive, shallow speculation
and I was fascinated by it. In addition,
it makes you think about issues that the mainstream media is not addressing
enough unless confronted by the worst possible events, like the BP/Halliburton Gulf
Coast catastrophe. It is also part of a
cycle of documentaries about oil and the future of the world, but it is
different in having a wider view than many of the others, which have also
turned out to be solid works. Collapse is worth a serious viewing.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is mostly the
HD-shot interview footage, but you do get some older film and analog video
footage at times, making this typical HD documentary playback. There is also some softness and motion blur
in the new footage. The Dolby Digital
2.0 Stereo is just fine for what is a non-stop interview format with music and
some occasional audio clips. Extras include
a trailer, Deleted Scenes that could have stayed in the film and a Collapse Update.
- Nicholas Sheffo
