Stuart Townsend, the writer, director and producer of 2007 indie Battle in Seattle, carefully researched (for six years) the 1999 riots in Seattle, Washington that broke out when the World Trade Organization held a conference there. Even though I vaguely remember news reports of it, I suspected that much had been sensationalized and generalized by the press and that is indeed the case. I'm very glad I ordered the DVD. More of an action-packed docu-drama, this 98-minute movie is curiously R-rated by the U.S., but PG-rated by Canada where much of it was filmed to save money. I don't think teens need to be kept from seeing its uncalled-for police brutality and war-like tactics to disperse the fifty thousand, mostly nonviolent protesters they were completely unprepared for. It was the media that labeled it as the battle in Seattle and, indeed, in 2007 almost six hundred arrested protesters were awarded a million dollars for wrongful arrest.

I quickly found myself immersed in this story based largely on true events as well as practically verbatim, pivotal dialogue by delegates' speeches. Townsend blended a good bit of real footage of the riots and a well-diversified Labor Rally into his filming to create more authenticity, tension and atmosphere so I felt that I as well as the many characters in his story were truly there. It should be noted that Battle in Seattle doesn't seek to enlighten us much about the activities of the WTO. Townsend notes in the DVD's Special Features that there are documentaries already that accomplish that and he sought to capture the human element of the chaotic five days covered in his film. Impressively he manages to do this in a balanced way so that nobody is demonized and we may also feel the confusion and terror of a pregnant woman, a wife of a policeman who worked not far from the Paramount Theater which held the conference. There's quite an ensemble cast, but they're all memorably arresting (ha ha!) and I wouldn't change any of them. I'll be here all day if I describe them all and will simply list the excellent main actors: Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron, Martin Henderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Ray Liotta, Jennifer Carpenter, Andre Benjamin, Connie Nielsen, Joshua Jackson, Channing Tatum, a Croatian, African and Chinese-American, and footage of Michael Moore who headed the WTO.

Some of you probably know how much the riots and chaos interrupted the conference, but for those of you who don't I won't spoil the excitement of watching it. I didn't know what would happen since the riots weren't covered well by the press and so the ending was emotionally satisfying on all counts. It‘s a disturbing story, a story even tamer than reality as Townsend explains, but it‘s also very engaging because of likable characters caught in a harrowing situation they wished they could run away from. Some tough characters cried a bit. They all learned that they don‘t have all the answers. Townsend films it in real time so that events unfold naturally, although he breaks the film into specific days (November 29 to December 4).

Residents of Seattle back then will likely notice that some things like stores and buildings have changed since then, but most people won't notice or care. Battle in Seattle brings back to our awareness the first riot of such a scale on American soil since, like, the late 50s, I think Townsend said. It definitely affirmed that many Americans are not apathetic about globalization and capitalism run amuck. Wisely Townsend sends us off with statements of the reality of what happened with U.S. riot laws, the WTO and the sacrifices made by a Korean and 40,000 Indians trying to find justice and it's a real downer.

With a "Making Of" featurette offered by Townsend narrating and a commentary with him and his Mexican editor on the DVD‘s Special Features, this docu-drama is really Townsend's baby delivered on budget, but with all its body parts and digits. He may be a first-time director, but he was able to streamline what could've been a much longer movie to keep us absorbed and capture the spirit of a free-spirited America...or at least a nation that wants to be.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD