[Dvanharn]

Trailer

I received an e-mail from our local peak-oil e-mail list serve in which the author said: "It's a fictionalized account to expand awareness [of the impacts of peak oil] beyond the documentary watching crowd.

I think that, after watching the preview, that it is just another violent, post-apocalyptic spinoff of the old Road Warrior movie that launched Mel Gibson's movie career, but this time set in the southwest deserts of the U.S. instead of Australia. Apparently, the only thing peak oil has to do with this movie is to set the stage for yet another modern, violent interpretation of the U.S. "Western Movie" genre of film.

From Wikipedia: Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior) begins with a prologue backstory; a narrator informs us that the world has "crumbled and...the cities have exploded;" uprisings and social disorder due to energy shortages have destabilized the country; and that "two mighty warrior tribes" had gone to war. The crumbling remnants of the government attempt to restore some form of order, but life has become a "whirlwind of looting and a firestorm of fear, in which 'men began to feed on men.'"

Change a few words, and this could the description of "Downstream." I may go see it, but only because I like post-apocalyptic films. I don't think it will raise real peak-oil awareness any more than the Mad Max/Road Warrior series of movies did.

Apparently, there is a very limited schedule of screenings at a local theater here in western Sonoma County in Santa Rosa. I will go see the movie this evening (just because I like post-apocalyptic movies), and post my reaction when I get home tonight.

Dave

[TheDude]

I see that it's playing in another arid wasteland, Yakima Washington. Kitty corner from our member Hawkcreek's digs.

Wow, that looks really dumb. Like 1990 : The Bronx Warriors or sundry other cheesy low budget post apocalyptic flicks that sprouted up in Mel's wake.

[Hawkcreek]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TheDude', 'I') see that it's playing in another arid wasteland, Yakima Washington. Kitty corner from our member Hawkcreek's digs.

Wow, that looks really dumb. Like 1990 : The Bronx Warriors or sundry other cheesy low budget post apocalyptic flicks that sprouted up in Mel's wake.

[Dvanharn]

Pretty dumb movie, but my expectations were low. Energy expert pleads with politicians in hearing - they ignore him. Civilization collapses. Video clips of lines at gas station from the 1973 gas shortage and other old news clips shown as current events. Expert moved to doomstead with wife and teenage son. Bad guys with badges claim to be checking for illegal use of GMO seeds. They kill expert and wife, leaving kid an orphan.

Years later, he is driving a Jeep Cherokee that his dad modified to run on anything (including blood???) through the desert. He encounters bad guys, pretty captive girl who escapes & travels with him. Chases, mayhem, killing follow. He is searching for city named Plutopia that runs on nuclear energy and was supposedly built during the collapse, and will be a refuge of normality.

More violence, killing - a lot like The Book of Eli without the hopeful ending.

Certainly not a movie that I think will convince people that peak oil is a problem - just another low-budget apocalyptic action movie..

Dave