The 11th Hour – DVD Review

Film, Reviews, Top Story

11thhour
Available at Amazon.com

Littering and using aerosol cans. Wasting food and using electricity in rooms that aren’t even occupied. Cutting down rain forests and forgetting to not recycling. It seems that the human race will do anything and everything they it’s not supposed to do in order not to save the planet. Many feel as if they are doing nothing wrong. Others don’t even realize the things they are doing. Then there are the few who can get no help in trying to preserve our great Mother Earth. More of us need to offer all the help we can to save her because she’s the only one we’ve got.

In an extremely informative and quite frightening documentary, actor Leonardo DiCaprio narrates this look into how horribly we treat our planet. Not only does The 11th Hour showcase the awful way Earth is treated by its inhabitants, but also how little is being done to prevent the decimating factors that aren’t our fault. Global warming is a big problem that cannot be all together stopped, but its progress can be halted if we would take more action against it. Examples are thrown forward in this film that should make many scared enough to want to do so.

Most of The 11th Hour, though, discusses the way the human race is destroying Earth with their wasteful ways and uncaring attitudes. Deforestation, pollution, health care, overpopulation, and many other things that can be controlled by humans aren’t even being looked at. A small portion of the world actually tries to keep these problems under control, but they need help and are usually fighting a losing battle. It is not only an educational pounding given forth, but a rather frightening awakening.

There are times when the film gets rather boring with the experts spewing forth information that sadly enough most won’t care about. It’s sad that the reason this film gets so slow at times is because they are explaining to us that our attitudes are exactly the reason Earth is so threatened. Kind of ironic, actually. You’re going to be bombarded with what could be considered insults and also please to get off your butt and do something for the good of all mankind. What’s also depressing is that you aren’t going to watch The 11th Hour unless you are already interested in it or forced to in some school course. Those that need to be educated by it are the ones who will never even give it a second glance at the store.

The film is shown in 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen format and it doesn’t look all that hot, but that is to be expected with this kind of documentary. There are interviews, older news footage, and clips from multiple shows put together so don’t expect the best looking film here.

The film is heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and while it is mainly dialogue driven, the soundtrack is fantastic and heard loud and clear while never overpowering the interviews or narration.

11th Hour “Solutions: Nature’s Operating Instructions And Solutions,” “Solutions We Have Right Now,” “Wonder Of The World,” “Our Reactions In The Face Of Environmental Collapse,” and “Religious Perspectives” – This featurette runs close to an hour and a half and consists of numerous interviews not seen in the feature presentation. Most of those interviewed are from the film and some of what is said is totally new, while other parts are just extended from what is shown in the film itself. It is all good and useful information, but can get quite dull at times.


What can really be said about The 11th Hour except that you should all check it out at least once. It’s not going to be a film that you have in your normal film rotation and I sincerely doubt you’ll watch it more then twice ever in your lifetime. Still, it is something that everyone should see and experience at least once. DiCaprio’s heartfelt narration makes this an eye opening experience that should get everyone to change their everyday habits somewhat. People don’t realize that the Earth may be around for as long as we live, but what about those we leave behind…our kids and grandchildren and so on? Shouldn’t they have every opportunity to live a full life without having to worry if their planet will expire before they do? Do yourself a favor and rent this film so that you may get the full effect and see what you’re doing wrong and what you may be doing right.

And if you can sit back and honestly tell yourself that this is something you’d never want to see and don’t care about whatsoever; then you are one of those who should watch this film the most.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………




Warner Bros. presents The 11th Hour. Directed by: Leila Conners Petersen & Nadia Conners. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio. Written by: Leila Conners Petersen & Nadia Conners. Running time: 92 minutes. Rating: PG. Released on DVD: April 8, 2008. Available at Amazon.com