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The following is an article that I wrote for a class of mine as a part of a project that was supposed to promote sustainability and spread awareness about environmental issues. I chose to wrote about how “green” messages are cropping up in films more and more. However, there is a good and bad side to this. I figured I may as well throw this up on the Chez as I haven’t posted in a while and more people will see it this way. Enjoy.

Green Movies

Films often act as reflections of their times. Culture influences what kinds of films are made and the opposite is true as well. The two share an interesting relationship, as films seem to have a special ability to capture the attention and imagination of the general public. In recent years, it has become increasingly that many films are featuring one message in particular. However, although it is undoubtedly important for a popular medium like movies to disseminate an important message, film-makers must nonetheless tread lightly to ensure that the message is not overlooked.

In particular, one film that ignited a veritable maelstrom regarding the issue of global climate change was Al Gore’s provocative documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. Met with critical acclaim, it also fared well at the box office, becoming the sixth highest grossing documentary film ever. However, although it certainly brought the issue of climate change to the forefront of the public consciousness, especially given Gore’s prominence, that same prominence could be seen in a negative light. Inevitably, the film would be misconstrued as having a political slant or as some way for Gore to gain public favor. Even with the film’s detractors, however, it is generally seen as a successful and seminal film on climate change.

Green messages have also cropped in many more mainstream, non-documentary films as well. In 2004, The Day After Tomorrow became one of the highest grossing films of the year. Its main premise revolved around human-caused climate change precipitating cataclysmic weather phenomena. The success of this film demonstrated that the average moviegoer was more than willing to accept climate change and the horrible repercussions of it. At the same time, however, many people might have gone to see it for the big budget special effects. But whatever the reason for seeing it, a film like that would still bring environmental issues into the public discussion.

An Inconvenient Truth and The Day After Tomorrow both take somewhat heavy-handed, perhaps even overbearing, approaches to climate change. It almost seems as if they go out of their way to hammer home the importance of those issues. Demonstrating such zeal on the issues might make them even more prone to issues of “preaching to the choir,” and make it unlikely to win over any new supporters.

For instance, the critically reviled M. Night Shyamalan film The Happening had a green message, but because it was handled so poorly, it might actually take away from the green movement. Or even James Cameron’s Avatar, despite all its success, was criticized for presenting a paper-thin plot which beat its viewers over the head with the message that nature is holy and we should respect it before we end up destroying it. It’s certainly a poignant and important message, but if it’s executed poorly like in Avatar, it may end up doing more harm than good.

To look at a film that handled environmental issues well without getting terribly overzealous about the issue, take Pixar’s Wall-E. Pixar has a habit of tackling surprisingly mature themes in its movies and Wall-E is no exception. In this film, the human race has long since abandoned planet earth, which has been covered in trash and is now devoid of life. By focusing more on the main character’s journey and development than on environmental issues, the film avoids becoming overbearing. But is nonetheless refreshing to see Pixar tackle important topics like this, especially if young children see this film and can learn about climate change issues in a more light-hearted and humorous film like Wall-E.

However, for one of the best examples of handling environmental issues in an even handed and balanced manner, we can look at the Japanese anime film, Princess Mononoke. Although not likely to be well known by Western audiences, it is among the top five grossing films in its native Japan. The film takes place in alternate history, roughly similar to Feudal Japan, but altered to include the presence of supernatural gods and spirits which inhabit the forests. However, humans and their growing industries and factories have encroached ever further into the lands of the ancient forest gods.

Where Princess Mononoke really excels is in its balanced portrayal of both sides of the issue. The humans who are responsible for destroying the lands of the gods are not portrayed as outright evil. In fact, it is the titular character who is the one who goes to extremes, as a result of her desire to protect the forest. Both sides are shown to have good points, as well as positive and humanizing traits. Neither side is portrayed as necessarily “right.” In fact, the main protagonist in fact argues that it is foolish to think one side should win. Rather, we should strive to achieve a balance between technology and industry and the environment.

If movies with environmental issues are to be taken seriously, it is with this kind of depth and sensitivity that they must be presented. At the same time, much as a balance is advocated in Princess Mononoke between the forest and the industrious humans, so too must a balance be sought in bringing topics like climate change to the general public. Films like The Day After Tomorrow may make more money, but they run the risk of undermining green movements if they do not handle the issue well. A delicate balanced is needed in motion pictures, or climate change issues might just get lost in the shuffle.

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