Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

An Inconvenient Truth

MPA Rating: PG-Rating (MPA) for mild thematic elements.

Reviewed by: Rev. Grant Wright
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Better than Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Documentary, Politics
Length: 1 hr. 40 min.
Year of Release: 2006
USA Release: May 24, 2006 (limited); November 21, 2006 (DVD release)
Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics Copyright, Paramount Classics
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Paramount Classics

Should Christians be concerned about the environment? Answer

What is man’s responsibility to the environment? Answer

How might rain forest destruction affect our weather? Answer

Featuring Al Gore
Director Davis Guggenheim
Producer Jeff Skoll, Davis Guggenheim, Diane Weyermann
Distributor Distributor: Paramount Pictures Corporation. Trademark logo.Paramount Pictures Corporation, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS

This film won an Academy award for “Best documentary.”

“A Global Warning”

The subject of “Global Warming” and the name “Al Gore” are likely to cause many people to steer clear of this documentary. However, I would encourage you to look past politics to at least view this professional documentary.

This is essentially an overview of the subject of global warming. It is an appeal to individuals to play their part in saving the world. Many facts are given and in some parts theories presented as fact to persuade the viewer to make a difference. It is only in the closing credits that the “how to’s” are given.

The other road this documentary follows is the life of Gore and this message he has been trying to tell throughout his political life. I have to admit he is an excellent orator and is convincing through most of his presentation. It is the fact that Gore is so linked with politics that makes this documentary harder to swallow. Al Gore: “I don’t really consider this a political issue, I consider it to be a moral issue.” I applaud such a statement, but the inconvenient truth of the matter is that this is a political issue as well as a moral issue.

The most difficult section to deal with in the documentary is that of what happened millions and millions of years ago to cause “the ice age.” This is presented as fact, and some parents might want to discuss this issue with children or teenagers after the documentary.

As Christians, we know this world will come to pass with the imminent return of our Lord. I cannot help but feel that the effects of global warming will play their own part in the end times.

Matthew 24:7,8 says “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

With this mindset, we could dismiss our obligations to look after our Lord’s creation. We have been given dominion over the Earth as stated in Genesis 1:27,28

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

We were given this Earth to subdue it and even tend to it as Adam did in the garden. This was all said before our fall and not recanted in the curse. The question I like to ask is, “Would our environment be in the same condition if sin had not entered the world?” I think not; therefore I am convinced to play my part in caring for the Lord’s creation.

Violence: None / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—I usually don’t agree with Al Gore on most topics. However, he has presented valid and important topics up in this movie that need to be discussed. It is scary to see how many people just deny that global warming is real and that it could have a devastating effect on us all! Go see this movie and be informed!
My Ratings: Good / 3½
John, age 20
Positive—As Roger Ebert succintly said, 'You owe it to yourself to see this movie.' I believe that as Christians, we owe it to ourselves not only to see this movie, but to also act against global warming and climate change. The film follows Al Gore as he gives a presentation on the topic at hand: An Inconvenient Truth. It is indeed inconvenient; once we bring up global warming, we are FORCED to take action against it. It becomes a moral issue, and we feel so wrong in our hearts because we have contributed to raping the planet.

Gore frames the problem of climate change in a human context. We see that increased death, famine, and disease can all result due to global warming, and we are warned that mass media does not always hold the correct solution to the dilemma: we must each make informed, moral decisions, and put trust in well-informed scientists.

As Christians, we know that we are put on this planet to nurture and care for it—not to make it a “hell on Earth,” if you’ll pardon the expression. I personally feel that God would not like to see his creation destroyed by his own children. I encourage all Christians to see this movie, and to take action against climate change.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 4½
Cornelius Christian, age 18
Comments from young people
Positive—I watched this film in school a few weeks ago. I am rather surprised that people still argue that global warming is not an issue—and the film frightened me into the reality that if nothing is done now, my generation will be in a world of hurt. I feel that this film deserved an “excellent” moral rating, because I think that God gave us the world, and we should take special care of this gift.

“An Inconvenient Truth” promotes the idea that we, as humans, need to start thinking more about our future. The only thing I could think of that some might find offensive is that Al Gore makes a few puns at the current administration. I wasn’t offended, I thought they were funny, and the point of the film wasn’t to attack the Bush administration. Al Gore says himself that he feels the global warming issue doesn’t have anything to do with either party, but more to do with politicians not wanting to worry about it, as it is “inconvenient.” The documentary was very well put together, and the footage was very beautiful. I would recommend that anyone go and see it.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
Sarah, age 15
Comments from non-viewers
I have not viewed this movie. But please hear me out. DON’T buy into the hype that we are somehow “raping” the planet! Global Warming is a made-up term! The reason why temperatures are apparently on the rise planet-wide is because in the late 1800’s we came out of a mini Ice Age that lasted 400 years!

Earth’s climate fluctuates constantly, trying to find equilibrium. It’s been doing this for Millennia—ever since the Fall [?-Flood]. The current warming trend is NOT our fault! It’s nature being nature. There is nothing we can do to reverse or change it. Man will not be responsible for destroying the planet. Read the Bible—only God can and will destroy Earth at the end of Time.
Pete in TN, age 28
Negative—The movie “An Inconvenient Truth” has been out awhile, and has received an Academy Award for Best Documentary. But in the meantime British authorities studied the film and found such serious flaws in it that they forbid it be shown in schools. This week a new movie came out, “Not Evil Just Wrong” to show precisely how science fails to show evidence for human-induced global warming. The polar ice cap is not shrinking anymore: it got smaller for awhile and is now bigger than when Mr. Gore’s movie came out. And the polar bear population is increasing, not decreasing.

Meanwhile, data to show that the Earth is warming up were doctored to present a predetermined outcome. When the data are plotted accurately, no trend of increased warming is shown. By normal criteria one could say the moral rating of this movie is good.

But is God pleased when movie producers exaggerate and lie to make their point? If God wanted us to burn fossil fuels he would have planned in advance that burning them would not harm the environment. Let us be good steward of God’s creation, but let’s use our minds as well as our hearts.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
James, age 57 (USA)