Battle in Seattle (USA)

Some may remember that in an earlier posting I'd expressed a belief that local productions sometimes get an easier ride into SIFF than other films. Often leading to underwhelming viewing experiences. In the best of these cases a super charged local audience can make the screening a fun event even with weaker content. Last year's Blood on the Flat Track is a great example. But there are some films that even the most enthusiastic audience can't save. I totally understand how a movie with this theme (WTO protests/riots) and known Hollywood actors must have been an irresistible draw for programmers. And I'm not even going so far as saying that they should have passed on this film - the theater was packed - and therefore as Stephen Colbert would say the market has spoken and this was a great choice. But regardless of your view of the WTO or the protests in Seattle there wasn't much to like about this movie from my perspective. Clearly much of the attendees would disagree as the audience seemed to love it - or at least were vocally cheering throughout. My summary review in two words - strangely underwhelmed. And not because I don't love fightin' the power as much as the next guy.

The movie follows multiple characters through the events of the Seattle WTO protests. A cop and his (ironically) unfortunate wife, several protesters, and in smaller roles "good" WTO attendees, and the local political establishment. Oh wait, almost forgot about the local newscaster with suicidal tendencies with respect to her career. They do a fantastic job telling you over and over (and over again) about the evil that is the WTO and the awesomeness that were to protesters. Sure, they briefly tell you that the ones smashing windows were bad and point to some sympathetic establishment types. But there's way too much telling and not enough showing in this film. Add in some pretty uninspired dialog, acting and hard to swallow story points and your get Battle in Seattle. Just add hundreds of cheering local fans and you can imagine opening night.

There are a few fun things mixed in - many intentional, some probably not. I sort of enjoyed the dynamic between the activist partial to turtle costumes facing off against the wall of Seattle PD. Turtles speaking truth to power, and interesting concept explained in some depth by the character involved. See, you're not going to get that from the mass media treatments of the topic...

I'm not sure if this was their intent, but the film makes me sympathetic to the mayor. Which I don't recall feeling during the actual period of the riots. Largely around the difficulties in managing a situation where people take things a bit too literally and don't ask for clarifying questions. The big one (and one of the few parts of the movie where they don't shove a detail in your face) is around the decision to not arrest anyone breaking the law. That's the message you see him giving - but a reasonable question from those receiving the orders could have been - "up to what point?" For example, don't arrest people blocking an intersection non-violently even if that's technically illegal. But maybe arrest the smaller number of people engaging in direct destruction of property with the intent of escalating the situation. Of course it's just a movie...

There's probably a lot of points to agree with politically here. So this is wholly a review on the film itself and not it's message. My hope is that on that all sides can agree this wasn't a great film to watch - and it's hard to imagine it inspiring people to any great extent. Though if gets some folks to read up in more detail that would be a good thing.

other minor peeves...

• filmmaker telling you over and over again how this is "as indie as it gets".
• Ads for SUV hybrids before the film that proudly declare they get better mileage than a 6 cylinder Camry - the least fuel efficient model of the line
• people who text during the movie (3 times if I counted right), regardless how amusing they are afterwards calling friends to see this amazing flick.
• Michelle Rodriguez's response to practically everything during the Q&A