Matthew R. Brady’s documentary ‘Escape From Extinction’ is hair-raising. The presentation of well-researched data highlighting the decline of biodiversity and the loss of key forms of life emphasizes its utmost importance. However, alternating this insightful and eye-opening narrative about animal extinction is an agenda-driven pro-zoo advocacy that hammers its message of the ‘importance of Zoos and Aquariums’ to keep the ecosystem in balance. This doesn’t just dilute the kind of point it wants to make but also makes its view feel deceitful.
Produced by American Humane, an organization that is responsible for certificating movies and shows with ‘no animals were harmed during the making of this’ (but has been allegedly found responsible for wrongful certification and gatekeeping mishaps on the sets of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ song others), ‘Escape From Extinction’ was publicly criticized by PETA upon its release.
Narrated by Helen Mirren, there is no second say against the good intentions of the film. Notably, a red alert for the sixth mass extinction looming upon the planet, Brady’s documentary takes us through the various animal species that have gone extinct in the last 100 years or so. It shows the impact the extinction can bring upon us, carefully divulging what this hampering of the food chain does to the ecosystem. It backs this research with expert opinions and an eco-plea for us to do better.
However, all this effort is mulled by how it never for once stops forcing us to consider and re-consider our stance on the many Zoos and Aquariums that are doing ‘the good work.’ Its single-minded approach is so partial and short-sighted that you can hear it trying to make a case against activists who stand against the work that these organizations are doing.
While there’s nothing wrong with trying to prove your worth, ‘Escape of Extinction’ feels pretty self-critical when it suggests films use manipulative musical cues to represent animals and then does the same in the documentary’s more moving moments.
The rousing background score and the constant concern of the filmmaker to back up his film with excerpts of the possible organizations funding the film in some way make it hard to recommend. I wish the film went beyond the surface and told us how these said Zoos and Aquariums get the kind of authority and accreditation to facilitate escaping extinction instead of just telling us that they are the ‘good people’ and not the ‘bad people’ that activities are against. If it did, I’d have taken it more seriously.
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