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Manufactured Landscapes leaves the work of drawing conclusions mostly to the viewer, although the imagery makes director Jennifer Baichwal's arguments well enough on its own.
All Critics (61) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (10) | DVD (4)
An astonishing visual indictment of man's inhumanity to Mother Earth, as seen through the documentary prism of Jennifer Baichwal. May 23, 2018 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…
An astonishing visual indictment of man's inhumanity to Mother Earth, as seen through the documentary prism of Jennifer Baichwal.
Peter Howell
What the film does well is to make us part of the problem: After all we demand the lowest prices in everything we buy and that probably means it was made in China. Oct 19, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4
What the film does well is to make us part of the problem: After all we demand the lowest prices in everything we buy and that probably means it was made in China.
Marta Barber
Feels constrained and rather dutiful, no matter how passionate these people are about what they're observing. Jul 27, 2007 | Rating: 2/4
Feels constrained and rather dutiful, no matter how passionate these people are about what they're observing.
Michael Phillips
Burtynsky calls for "a whole new way of thinking" about the world's economy and ecology, though he never says what's wrong with the old way. Jul 27, 2007 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Burtynsky calls for "a whole new way of thinking" about the world's economy and ecology, though he never says what's wrong with the old way.
Bill Stamets
The movie works best traveling from the eye straight to the conscience. Jul 27, 2007 | Full Review…
The movie works best traveling from the eye straight to the conscience.
J. R. Jones
Again and again, Baichwal tapers passages of her film toward resolution in the form of a finished picture by Burtynsky, telescoping her vision and his. Jul 20, 2007 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Again and again, Baichwal tapers passages of her film toward resolution in the form of a finished picture by Burtynsky, telescoping her vision and his.
Kenneth Baker
There is nothing wrong with Baichwal's camerawork, with a fascinating opening eight-minute shot of it roaming across a Chinese factory floor, particularly stunning - but everything lacks depth. Feb 28, 2008 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
There is nothing wrong with Baichwal's camerawork, with a fascinating opening eight-minute shot of it roaming across a Chinese factory floor, particularly stunning - but everything lacks depth.
Amber Wilkinson
Burtynsky's awe-inspiring work ultimately speaks for itself. Dec 28, 2007 | Rating: 8/10 | Full Review…
Burtynsky's awe-inspiring work ultimately speaks for itself.
Jeffrey Chen
Each of Burtynsky's subjects is impressive in its scale, but terrifying in its ecological impact. Dec 6, 2007 | Full Review…
Each of Burtynsky's subjects is impressive in its scale, but terrifying in its ecological impact.
Jeffrey M. Anderson
A film in search of a subject. Sep 12, 2007 | Rating: 6/10 | Full Review…
A film in search of a subject.
Tim Brayton
Burtynsky avoids any political content to his work, but it's hard not to feel anxious and sad at the spectacle of the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the world's most populous nation. Sep 7, 2007 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…
Burtynsky avoids any political content to his work, but it's hard not to feel anxious and sad at the spectacle of the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the world's most populous nation.
Marc Mohan
My first question: What kind of nefarious events had to occur so that I could purchase the computer with which I write this review? Sep 7, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
My first question: What kind of nefarious events had to occur so that I could purchase the computer with which I write this review?
Josh Rosenblatt
A worthy effort and the creation of artificial ugly landscapes is something worth viewing if not quite enjoyable. Baichwal however has a history of taking an interesting topic and adding a layer of dullness in ultimate presentation.
Super Reviewer
"Manufactured Landscapes" is a moderately interesting documentary about Edward Burtynsky who specializes in taking photographs of industry and manufacturing in an attempt to warn against the environmental depletion of the planet. The film itself is mainly focused on China which is in the process of transforming itself from an agrarian society to an industrial power. There are consequences to this course of action, especially in the displacement of the population and increased pollution. As urgent as "Manufactured Landscapes" might try to be, there is little here that we have not seen before.(The exception being the shipwreck beach in Bangladesh which itself could have been the setting for an entire documentary.) Yes, that's a truly awesome trackintg shot that opens the movie but it does little to capture the scale of a factory(and I've been in buildings that large, anyway) and actually becomes a game of seeing which workers notice the camera. Likewise, there have been other films that have covered the Three Gorges Dam in greater detail.
One of the better documentaries I have seen. It manages to be both socially relevant and provogative, and also very artistic. That seems like quite an accomblishment to me. It did drag on a bit though.
Long, with little insight into either the photographer or his subjects. A slide-show gallery tour of his work, suited more for a museum installation than a feature-length film. Regardless, the images are as captivating as any you'll see short of the "koyaaniquatsi" trilogy... buy a book to look at his photos... the movie isn't neccessary.
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