Watch Anthropocene: The Human Epoch

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch is a 2018 documentary that highlights how human activity has transformed and impacted the planet earth in recent years. It is directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky. The documentary showcases stunning, large-scale footage of various human-made landscapes, with narration from different experts who explain the long-term effects of mankind on the planet's ecosystem. The film takes its name from the term Anthropocene, which is a geological term that describes a new era where human activities have significant consequences on the planet's ecosystem.

The movie explores different aspects of the Anthropocene era, including the mining activities and how they impact the earth surface and environment. For instance, in Russia, huge excavators dig out coal from deep underground while, in Canada, massive tar pits are exploited for commercial purposes. These mining activities produce unimaginable amounts of pollutants, leading to adverse effects on the ecosystem, like climate change.

The movie also tackles the current state of the oceans, highlighting how human activities are affecting them in various ways such as global warming, plastic pollution, and increased acidity. Along the coast, people are seen picking up plastic bottles and other types of waste from the shores. This scene portrays the consequences of human activities and negligence towards the environment, resulting in the death of marine life and imbalances in nature's food chain.

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch narrates how negligence towards nature during urbanization also contributes to environmental challenges. The documentary showcases different parts of the world, where forested lands once stood, now replaced by huge buildings, roads, and concrete surfaces. Similarly, urbanization leads to skyrocketing energy consumption, resulting in emissions that further contribute to global warming and other environmental challenges.

The documentary presents the idea that humans are changing the atmosphere, landscapes, and living beings, leading to catastrophic environmental problems like natural disasters, extinction of species, and people's displacement. In Alberta, Canada, for instance, the vast landscapes used for the production of tar sands not only affects the environment but also impacts the indigenous peoples who call the area their home.

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch is shot using high-definition camera technology. It's a visual feast and impressive technical work, capturing the grand scale of human-made landscapes, successful to show the real terrifying impact on the environment. The documentary also employs data visualization techniques, enhancing the understanding of the viewer's perspectives study of how humans impact the planet.

The film's soundtrack is composed in such an innovative way that it makes the viewer engage with their thought and emotions toward the planet. The silence during some scenes presents a contrast to the deafening noise in other scenes, like the mining activities, which are loud and chaotic.

In conclusion, Anthropocene: The Human Epoch is a significant documentary about the human impact on the planet, describing firsthand the extent of the damage caused by mankind. It's informative, thought-provoking, and powerful, highlighting the alarming state of our environment and the urgency for change. The documentary gives meaning to the concept of the Anthropocene era and the need to join hands to mitigate and reverse the damage.

Anthropocene: The Human Epoch is a 2019 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 71.