11th Hour (2007)

"Catch it and change the world!  Elle Magazine
"...priority viewing for anyone interested in the future of our frighteningly compromised planet.  Gary Goldstein, Reel.com
"...layered insights and polished presentation...[provide] effective showcasing as an educational tool.  Justin Chang, Variety
"Exhilarating...leaves you wanting more!  Los Angeles Times
"Essential viewing. An unnerving, surprisingly affecting documentary.  Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

Editor's Note Environmental documentary 11th HOUR resides at the polar opposite of escapist summer fare, its mission to firmly confront viewers about the indelible human footprint that humans have left on this planet, and the catastrophic effects of environmental neglect and abuse. Produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, and ably directed by Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Peterson, the documentary doesn't get much fancier than talking heads, news footage, and the occasional animated illustration, but its message is potent and delivered effectively. The first hour of the film is essentially a horror story, recounting the myriad sins perpetrated against the environment (pollution, deforestation, over-mining resources), the reasons behind it (corporate greed, faulty public policy, bad leadership, ignorance), and what it means for the human race. Thankfully, the last third of the movie tilts the mood upward, with a spirited discussion of solutions, offered by a crack team of scientists, designers, and thinkers. Stirring visions of alternate energy sources, diversified transportation, enlightened governmental agendas, sustainable homes and cities, and, most importantly, more conscious consumer choices leave viewers with the palpable feeling that change is both necessary and possible. If the "eleventh hour" for our planet is drawing near, this admirable film points confidently towards a new dawn.

	Irmelin DiCaprio - Executive Producer
	Jean-Pascal Beintus - Original Music By
	Leila Conners Petersen - Director
	Leonardo DiCaprio - Producer
	Leonardo DiCaprio - Narrated By
	Leonardo DiCaprio, et. al. - Writer
	Luis Alvarez y Alvarez - Editor
	Mikhail Gorbachev - Featuring
	Nadia Conners - Director
	Peter Youngblood Hills - Cinematographer
	Pietro Scalia - Editor
	Stephen Hawking - Featuring
	William McDonough - Featuring

Box Office
"THE 11TH HOUR introduces complex new ways of thinking about the issue 08/24/2007 p.111

New York Times
"[A]n unnerving, surprisingly affecting documentary about our environmental calamity..." 08/17/2007 p.E8

Los Angeles Times
"[T]he film forges an authoritative voice through a collective of experts representing relevant fields....The film presents a harrowing account of the planet's current condition, an exploration of the causes, and, finally, a look at what can be done in the near future to heal the damage." 08/17/2007

Reel.com 8 of 10
Like such other environmental documentaries as An Inconvenient Truth and the current Arctic Tale, the message of The 11th Hour is far more compelling than the film itself. That said the doc's sobering look at the collapse of the Earth's ecosystems and the hope for a sustainable future includes a plethora of critical data that should enlighten even the most environmentally aware...Much of the data presented here is staggering, in both its simplicity and breadth of impact. The priceless value of the average forest, the exponential population growth over the last century, and the devastating effects of fossil fuels are just a few of the areas covered in startling detail. If there's anything lacking here, it's a user-friendly list of the simple, day-to-day things the average person can do to help protect the environment (see the end of Arctic Tale for that). The filmmakers' choice to highlight the big picture is laudable, and certainly helps keep its massive priorities in focus, but may leave viewers feeling as helpless as they do inspired. Either way, The 11th Hour is priority viewing for anyone interested in the future of our frighteningly compromised planet. Shouldn't that be everyone? - Gary Goldstein

Chicago Sun-Times 6 of 10
I agree with every word in this tedious documentary. As you can guess from the title, "The 11th Hour" sounds a warning that we have pretty much depleted the woodpile of planet Earth, and to keep things running, have been reduced to throwing our furniture on the fire. It is a devastating message..."The 11th Hour," narrated and co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, gathers a group of respected experts to speak from their areas of knowledge about how we are despoiling our planet, and what we might possibly do to turn things around. We don't have much time. The architects John Todd and Bruce Mau explain how we could build "green" buildings that would use solar energy, consume their own waste and function much like a tree...The film sidesteps one of the oldest laws of television news and documentaries: Write to the picture! When Gore's film tells you something, it shows you what it's talking about. Too much of the footage of "The 11th Hour" is just standard nature photography, as helicopter-cams swoop over hill and dale and birds look unhappy and ice melts...This is intercut with 50 experts, more or less, who talk and talk and talk. Even DiCaprio sounds like he's presenting a class project. They're all depicted as talking heads, so we see them talk, then get some nature footage, then see them talk some more, until finally we're thinking, enough already; I get it. - Roger Ebert