The problem with some informative or social documentaries is that the knowledge they disperse can grow stale with time, making their relevance lessen as time marches on. However, in the case of The Corporation, the flipping over of the calendar has done nothing but prove a timeless nature to its existence. This documentary focuses around the history and being that is a corporation, and attempts to give the public a different perspective on this financial creature, giving ominous warning of what they could be and do.
With the economic crisis of 2008, The Corporation’s lessons reveal the truth to their message; that businesses can be out to make money and think about the short term results in the process. As with many documentaries, there is a bias to this one as it has a definitive message that it is attempting to convey. However, watching it gives one the feeling as though both sides of the story have their opportunity to speak openly and truthfully. It is this ability that packs the true power as it delivers the honest, straightforward views reinforces the film’s premise.
If you are like me and have ever pondered as to just how stores can afford to sell brand new t-shirts for five dollars, or how dollar stores are able to stock their shelves with cheap merchandise, The Corporation shows there is good reason to ask those questions. The hope is that those who have never considered anything other than the magnificent savings they get may begin to think more after seeing the documentary.
One of the techniques in the film is comparing a corporation to a human being (since corporations can legally be considered human) and putting it through a psychological test to see what kind of mental state it would have based off of how they operate. By going through a checklist, they illustrate that a corporation is similar to a psychopath. This process may not be following the most scientific of methods, but the image is the intriguing aspect. It allows a symbolic reference that is a unique perspective and opens the door for conversation and thought on the topic to veer in new directions.
The narration may sound bland and distant, but I believe that it fits with the content of the documentary. It is almost a lifeless voice that guides the viewer, an emotionless guide in a topic that revolves around the very questions of morals and base human feelings. This experience is truly one that walks the line of the edge of what makes us human as well as what relates to the ‘human’ corporation.
I know some people who have an issue with the run time of the documentary, which clocks in at two hours and twenty five minutes. Personally, I always enjoy the freedom from oppression of a lengthy film, but I also believe that if there is a story to be told it should not cut corners for the sake of being friendly on the arse and bladder of the audience. Time means nothing if there is flow, focus, and proper intention. Similar to 2013’s The Act of Killing (two hours and forty minutes), the weight of the content is enough to forget the passage of time.
Some documentaries aim to be informative and some to offer perspective, among a number of other goals they may have. The Corporation strives, and succeeds, in both enlightening the audience as well as opening the mind to think about the global market place from alternative angles. It does not seek to demonize the people at the top, and even makes a case for remembering to separate the individuals from the actions. The culmination is an engaging film that does not answer all the question one may have, but opens the door for contemplation and further thought and investigation.
Rating - 3.5 out of 4 stars
Length has to be one of the silliest and misguided criticism thrown at a picture. "A bad movie can never be too short, and a good movie can never be too long." It is disconcerting that a good portion of viewers have such shallow attention spans that they complain about the run-time in expertly-crafted, smart, and entertaining pictures. Some of the great movies like 'Hoop Dreams', 'Patton' and 'Lawrence of Arabia' take time to tell their stories, but have the perfect length for what must be shown. It is this faulty logic that leads to the butchering of possibly fantastic pictures, because studios fear people will start flocking out of the cinema to check what is trending on Twitter. Besides, this picture's run-time is absolutely breezy compared to the aforementioned movies.
ReplyDeleteI saw this picture in 2006 in University. It was still completely relevant then and turned out to be eerily prophetic. I also love how it annihilates the faulty logic that corporations should be considered human, and demonstrates how that verdict greatly damaged our economy. society, and liberty. It is really an important movie to watch to get a grasp of some of the modern realities.
'Prophetic' really is the best word to use here. I thought about it the day after I had posted the review and was saddened that I did not put it in. As you said, a good movie is as long as it needs to be to properly tell the story. I saw a film today that only clocked in at an hour and a half, and it could have been a half hour shorter for the sake of its tale.
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