Wow. I am truly speechless. I had postponed watching this documentary several times until I finally took the time to sit down and give it a go. The term "Virunga" did sound familiar, but apart from that, I was oblivious to any plot details of this wonderfully shot, touching and at times surreal account of heroic personages trying to save the last mountain gorillas whilst preserving the environment they inhabit.
It was more than refreshing to see such a well-portrayed polarization of the good and evil visages of human nature, which allows the viewers to distinctly identify with one of the contrasting sides of the tale: not unlike your typical superhero movie, we have the villains and the heroes.
Orlando von Einsiedel does a magnificent job of introducing us to a sensible subject often approached by reputed wildlife organizations on the most superficial of levels. We are taken on a journey which accompanies the workings of a few individuals determined to make a change by fighting a seemingly lost battle against overmighty corporations and corrupt government.
This unique documentary manages to transmit powerful notions of how our unending and reckless ambitions effectively drive many other species to the brink of extinction, which most people apparently don't care about or don't care about enough to do something about it. Fortunately, the movie focuses on the huge impact a tiny group of creative, resolved and motivated conservationists can have, all the while remaining entirely unbiased, a rare feature in today's non-fiction motion picture canon.
My first criterion in judging a movie is whether it provokes any kind of emotional response on my part - in this instance, I felt hope. Hope that we can actually do what we put our minds to and repair some of the damage previously thought irreversible, caused by our incautious and negligent industrial expansion. We share our existence with many creatures on this wonderful planet. Their lives matter too.
Add in shocking undercover footage, fantastic editing and beautiful shots of Africa's landscape and you have got yourself a masterpiece. This is why we make films in the first place. Bravo!!!
It was more than refreshing to see such a well-portrayed polarization of the good and evil visages of human nature, which allows the viewers to distinctly identify with one of the contrasting sides of the tale: not unlike your typical superhero movie, we have the villains and the heroes.
Orlando von Einsiedel does a magnificent job of introducing us to a sensible subject often approached by reputed wildlife organizations on the most superficial of levels. We are taken on a journey which accompanies the workings of a few individuals determined to make a change by fighting a seemingly lost battle against overmighty corporations and corrupt government.
This unique documentary manages to transmit powerful notions of how our unending and reckless ambitions effectively drive many other species to the brink of extinction, which most people apparently don't care about or don't care about enough to do something about it. Fortunately, the movie focuses on the huge impact a tiny group of creative, resolved and motivated conservationists can have, all the while remaining entirely unbiased, a rare feature in today's non-fiction motion picture canon.
My first criterion in judging a movie is whether it provokes any kind of emotional response on my part - in this instance, I felt hope. Hope that we can actually do what we put our minds to and repair some of the damage previously thought irreversible, caused by our incautious and negligent industrial expansion. We share our existence with many creatures on this wonderful planet. Their lives matter too.
Add in shocking undercover footage, fantastic editing and beautiful shots of Africa's landscape and you have got yourself a masterpiece. This is why we make films in the first place. Bravo!!!