Exterminate All the Brutes

... at least judging by the number of heated "reviews" here.

It is a sad and dark story about the supremacy of the white race of which I myself am a member, and although my country of origin is so insignificant on a global scale, I still feel ashamed. We see the consequences of such a discourse and way of thinking even today. The documentary itself is more on the artistic side, so I'm not sure if it's the most optimal form of conveying such an important message, therefore 8.

"Exterminating All the Brutes" (2021 release; 4 episodes of about 60 min. Each) is a new documentary mini-series that takes a close look at the origins and history of white supremacy in all of its forms. As Episode 1 opens, the voice-over of director Raoul Peck reminds us that "There are 3 key words to this: civilization, colonization, and extermination", and with that we are off on a global review and reassessment of how all of this came about.

Couple of comments: this is the latest work by Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck ("I Am Not Your Negro"). If you have seen any of his prior films, you will find that "Exterminate All the Brutes" is very recognizable. Peck likes to think big, and certainly does so here again. What we watch is a strange but powerful mix of a dream-like atmosphere pushed up against the brutal realities of what happened in Europe (such as with the Holocaust) and the US (such as with the Native Americans and later Black slaves). Comments Peck: "The medieval Crusades wasn't just to win over souls, they are the origins of white supremacy." As I hail from Belgium (I moved to the US when I was 23), I was particularly interested in Peck's take on Belgium's King Leopold II reign of terror in Congo in the late 19th century. It ain't a pretty picture, and I'm being mild. I realize that in the current political climate in this country, a certain group will cry wolf over this documentary series, but the bottom line is that facts are facts, whether you deny or disagree with these facts or not. (I can't help but notice the ridiculously low ratings this documentary series has gotten to date on IMDb, but strangely and conveniently not a single review has been posted as of my writing this. Talk about a cancel culture... You can't cancel inconvenient facts!) "Exterminate All the Brutes" (a line taken from Joseph Conrad's novel "Heart of Darkness", incidentally) is brutal, and brutally honest.

"Exterminate All the Brutes" premiered this week on HBO, and is now available on HBO On Demand, Amazon Instant Video, and other streaming services. If you have any interest in the colonial past of this country, and indeed of the world at large, or you are simply a fan of Raoul Peck's prior work, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Well made, smart and enlightening. The basis of white supremacy explained. Strong and moving.

Abstract, historical and utterly unflinching. There are no words that will do this documentary series justice for how vital it is. Raoul himself says in episode 4 that even getting a program like this made is remarkable. It's certainly a little different in style than most docs blending archival, music, personal narrative and dramatic reconstruction but for me personally it works because that is Raoul's style. There are so many reasons why this is so important but absolute clarity on who we are and how we got here is vital for our decision making for who we want to be going forward.

Peck holds a mirror up to Western civilization so matter-of-factly that it's absolutely devastating. I'm sure in the current age of denial and rationalization this documentary will draw strong criticism from those who prefer the Washington and the cherry tree version of history but this film is brilliantly steeped in undeniable fact.