Activism 101

The directorial debut by Stuart Townsend (aka Mr. Charlize Theron), Battle in Seattle feels like a very personal film - to Stuart Townsend. It is one of those films with an all star cast (except for Connie Nielsen....I still can't make myself enjoy her) made on a shoestring budget over many, many years, and snubbed by the biggie Hollywood distributors. Three cheers for the true independent film! Yet I feel that because the principles of activism are so goshdarn fuzzy for me, I was barely moved by this dramatic retelling of the WTO riots of 1999. Rationally, I applaud Townsend for wanting to put our city's story up on the screen, for wanting to create a visual love letter for those who hold such fierce passion for "a cause." I also understand the need to present the very real truth that human nature is sometimes brutal, and we have the capacity to treat each other with naked cruelty if threatened. But I simply don't find this story compelling enough to be told as an inspired-by-real-events production on the big screen - even though I was right here for it. A documentary maybe. Or a semi-fictional focus piece of a particular character with the riots as back story. See for yourself, and if you're so moved, please let me know what I'm missing. As Andre 3000's character states in the final act: "people still don't know what the WTO does, but at least they know it's bad." And maybe that's enough of a timely message for this film to deliver. That as members of a democracy we should do what we can to inform ourselves about all that happens within it; only then can we feel proud of the choices we make for the people we place in positions of power.