Watch If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a documentary film directed by Marshall Curry and co-written by Curry and Matthew Hamachek. The film was released in 2011 and revolves around a radical environmentalist group known as the Earth Liberation Front (ELF). The film follows the story of Daniel McGowan, who was arrested as a member of the ELF in 2005. The movie revolves around his life, his involvement in ELF, the political and social reasons behind their ideology, and the consequences he faced, his family, and his allegiances.

McGowan's story is used as an entry point into the larger story of the ELF, a group that is described as being one of the most active and controversial of the environmental movements in the United States in the 1990s and 2000s.

The film uses archival footage, courtroom sketches, and interviews with several people including forest activists, academics, journalists, and law enforcement officials. Besides, the film also features interviews with other activists who were part of the ELF and were also arrested for their involvement in the organization.

The documentary explores the major incidents that the group has been involved in, including several acts of arson and other acts of sabotage aimed at disrupting the activities of corporations that are deemed harmful to the environment. The ELF's largest act of sabotage was the $26 million fire at the Vail Ski Resort in Colorado in 1998.

The film also explores the ideological differences between mainstream environmental organizations and the more radical groups like the ELF. The documentary argues that some environmentalist groups have failed to deliver tangible results, leading some activists to take more extreme actions.

The film refrains from taking a judgmental tone, neither painting ELF members as heroes nor as villains but presents a nuanced view of the movement. The documentary also raises questions on the nature of environmental activism, the tactics used by these groups, and whether the end justifies the means.

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a well-crafted documentary that provides insight into the radical environmentalist movement that was the Earth Liberation Front. One of the strengths of the film is that it offers a balanced point of view of the ELF without propagating any political agenda or bias.

Overall, If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front offers a thought-provoking exploration of the motivations behind radical environmentalist movements and their activism, leaving the viewers with a sense of ‘what is right’ and ‘what is wrong’.

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 65.