Manufactured Landscapes or Ghana: Digital Dumping Ground Film Review (Movie Review Sample)

Manufactured Landscape
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Manufactured Landscape
“Manufactured landscape” is a fantastic documentary directed by Jenifer Baichwal and cinematographer Peter Mettle. The documentary features the work of a Canadian landscape photographer called Burtynsky. Burtynsky is famous for taking photographs of landscapes that have been altered as result of massive construction projects, factories, recycling yards, mines, dams and quarries. In majority of his film, he tries to presents this kind of photographs in a manner that people describe as stunning. Whether it is a heap of garbage or mountains of coal, he turns it to something beautiful or stunning. The main theme of the documentary is to reveals how the world is moving toward environmental unsustainability, in the pursuit to improve the quality of lives. The director uses astonishing large colored pictures of landscapes to provide evidence and effects of massive industrial revolutions that have been taking place in China over the past few decades (Tokar, 2010, pg 219). The documentary not only captures the transformation of the landscape, but also captures the social implication of the transformation in China. The directors turn the ugly picture into something that is stunning. The film is exciting, creative and a worthwhile film to watch.
The film has several positive elements. Firstly, the film is educative. It educates people on how industriess have a negative impact on the environment. The film shows the participation of industries in the pollution, which is evident when director Baichwal and Cinematographer Mettle accompanies Burtynsky as he travels around China where industrialization is greatly affecting the nature. Secondly, the film uses unique and clear photographs, which are very appealing to the eye. The photographs are unique in that they are stunning in spite of being photos of filth and rubbish
Thirdly, the film is involving. In the film, there many cases were the film makers interact with both the society and the environment. Throughout the documentary, there are several interviews with employees, which reveal the attitude of workers in China towards their employers. We learn that majority of Chinese workers are not proud of their work, they receive low wages and work under difficult conditions. Again, in the opening shots, we see photographer trying to fit an enormous number of factory’s workers in a photo. The footage reveals the high population of workers in the production industry, which contributes to pollution of the environment. In fact, according to Tokar, 2010, pg 215, the costs involved in the rapid industrialization in China are contributing to ecological unsustainability. This is because the costs aid in the purchase of large machines and production of high quantity products, which may result in the pollution of the environment. In the scene, the documentary features the three-gorge dam, which is the largest dam in the world. The main aim of these scenes is to highlights the issue of the benefits and discontent of the modernization. Discontent is evident by the pollution of the environment while benefits occur from the usefulness of the dam to the people.
Fourthly, the film gives the view a tour in several sceneries and towns. The director directed the film in many parts of the world. In the film, a documentary features three-gorge dam, which is the largest dam. It also gives the viewer a tour around China through several industries and places. The photographer clearly shows how skyscrapers and high-rise building are replacing small dwellings as more and more Chinese migrate to urban areas. One of the most staggering sequences in this documentary shows several Chinese cities centered on recycling of electronic wastes from western countries such as America.
Lastly, the film has a lot of irony. It is important for any film to have higher outcome than the normal expected result. It is much better when it is the opposite of the viewer’s expectation. The irony that makes the documentary interesting to watch is that, Burtynsky make such devastating pictures looks unique and glorious. Burtynsky’s voice narrates most of the film and all along he to show how we are changing our planet irreparably and how were becoming more dependent on oil.
The film has few negative elements. Firstly, the film exposes several companies to the public. This may sound offensive to the owners of the companies. The film may have exaggerated about the companies’ nature, which destroys their reputation. Secondly, the film pays much attention on how industrialization is c...