WATERLIFE

(director: Kevin McMahon; cinematographer: John M. Tran; editor: Christopher Donaldson; cast: Gord Downie (Narrator); Runtime: 109; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Gerry Flahive/McMahon/McMahon; National Film Board of Canada; 2009-Canada)

“An informative no-nonsense educational nature film about the future state of the deteriorating Great Lakes.“

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Canadian documentarian Kevin McMahon (“The Falls”/”An Idea of Canada“) directs an informative no-nonsense educational nature film about the future state of the deteriorating Great Lakes (the world’s largest source of fresh water). It follows the flow of the lakes’ water from the Nipigon River to the Atlantic Ocean. The goal is for the viewer to be taken on a tour of the Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie) as the filmmaker points out that this wonderful ecosystem is facing challenges from manmade abuses and nature that will impact our lives in a horrible way if we don’t change our present reckless ways and become more attentive to dumping our by-products in the water that we need for drinking and our food supply. It tells of PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyl) and other industrial pollutants, sewage waste, and unspecified toxins that are poured into the ecosystem that cause diseases and polluted water.

It’s a dry academic film that’s beautifully filmed and it raises several warnings that shouldn’t be ignored by an apathetic public before they wake up and it’s too late to save the ecosystem.

REVIEWED ON 10/22/2010 GRADE: B