Before the Flood (film)

Background

At the European premiere in London in October 2016, DiCaprio introduced the film as follows:

Before The Flood is the product of an incredible three-year journey that took place with my co-creator and director Fisher Stevens. We went to every corner of the globe to document the devastating impacts of climate change and questioned humanity's ability to reverse what may be the most catastrophic problem mankind has ever faced. There was a lot to take on. All that we witnessed on this journey shows us that our world's climate is incredibly interconnected and that it is at urgent breaking point. ... We wanted to create a film that gave people a sense of urgency, that made them understand what particular things are going to solve this problem. We bring up the issue of a carbon tax, for example, which I haven't seen in a lot of documentaries. Basically, sway a capitalist economy to try to invest in renewables, to bring less money and subsidies out of oil companies. These are the things that are really going to make a massive difference. ... We need to use our vote ... We cannot afford to have political leaders out there that do not believe in modern science or the scientific method or empirical truths ... We cannot afford to waste time having people in power that choose to believe in the 2 percent of the scientific community that is basically bought off by lobbyists and oil companies.

Content

The film shows DiCaprio visiting various regions of the globe exploring the impact of man-made global warming. As a narrator, DiCaprio comments these encounters as well as archive footages. DiCaprio repeatedly references a 15th-century triptych by Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, which, he explains, hung above his crib as an infant, and which he uses as an analogy of the present course of the world toward potential ruin as depicted on its final panel. The film also documents, in part, the production of DiCaprio's 2015 film The Revenant.

DiCaprio's comments and inquiries focus extensively on climate change denial, mostly among corporate lobbyists and politicians of the United States.

Cast

Along with DiCaprio, the documentary's subjects include Barack Obama, Pope Francis, Sunita Narain, Anote Tong, John Kerry, Elon Musk, Alejandro Inarritu, Piers Sellers and Johan Rockström.

Broadcast and streaming

The film was made available freely on the internet between October 30 and November 6 2016, the run up to US Election Day, having aired on the National Geographic Channel in 171 countries and on some countries' national television channels. The film is subtitled in 45 languages, making it accessible for non-English audiences. The film had been watched more than 2 million times on the day following its release.

Critical response

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 70% approval rating, based on 27 reviews. On Metacritic, it has a score of 63 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".

Before the Flood was described as "surprisingly moving" in W and as "a heartfelt, decent, educational documentary about the most important issue of our time" by The Guardian.

Variety praised the fact that "given the sincerity of its message, its ability to assemble such a watchable and comprehensive account gives it an undeniable urgency", stating that "where the film succeeds the most is by focusing on the ground-level victims of climate change, whether the polar bears of the Arctic, or the inhabitants of island nations like Kiribati".

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was written and performed by Mogwai, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Gustavo Santaolalla.