Earthlings

This documentary shows 'behind the scenes' of what goes on behind closed walls, when it comes to our use of animals. Right from the beginning, harsh realities are shown onto the screen. It is hard to watch this movie, without feeling sympathy for the creatures that are born to be exploited. The message in this movie is strong and insightful. I highly recommend this for those who want to know the truth of how animals are treated. Every aspect of the animals lives are presented in this film. If it does not turn you into a vegetarian, you might, at least, think about it. This documentary may as well be up there as one of the best.

I feel the need to respond to some of the criticisms I read in the comments on here. In many of the low reviews people cite two main reasons, they call it vegan/PETA propaganda or they say it is too violent and disgusting. Obviously it is "propaganda" for animal rights activists, that is the whole point of the movie. Everything documentary, book, pamphlet, speech etc. that was directed towards a purpose in the past was propaganda too.

Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech was propaganda for the civil rights movement, that did not mean he did not have a point or he was wrong, but he certainly did not give the arguments of white southerners equal weight did he? Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Susan B. Anthony, and every other human rights campaigner in history did the same. But please remember, none of these now famous civil rights campaigns were universally accepted in the past. Nelson Mandela was put in jail (and not just by the white South African government, the US government supported them for many many years). MLK was shot, female suffragettes were beat up and ridiculed. The pattern is the same, and the documentary identifies it in the first minute. Resistance to the truth Step 1: Ridicule (call it propaganda) Step 2: Violent Resistance Step 3: Acceptance.

For all the others who say its too violent, well that is the point, it is showing the reality of the animal product consumption industry. Do you complain that a documentary about the holocaust is too violent? Get real. Using this as a criticism is honestly sickening and it shows just how detached from reality some people are. Reality does not have a Hollywood happy ending. This is what happens, this is where your meat comes from. Shutting your eyes to the reality and ignoring it will not make it go away. How many Germans simply shut their eyes to what was happening around them?

Yes nature is cruel, yes lions kill zebra and eat them alive. Does that mean that we humans as sentient self-aware creatures are justified in doing the same? It reminds me a debate that Friedrich Hayek and John Rawls had about what constitutes a just society. Hayek said that nature is inherently "unfair" and the sooner "liberals" like Rawls deal with that fact the better off we will be. Rawls brilliantly responded that nature is neither fair nor unfair, it simply is nature, and how we deal with that fact is what makes our society fair or unfair.

I am not saying Earthlings is the best documentary ever, nor do I completely agree with all of PETA or the documentary's positions. I am also not a vegan. This film is difficult to watch, and it should be.

Unquestionably the most comprehensive look at animal abuses and cruelty ever made. A very sobering look at why animal rights is something we must all recognize. Joaquin Phoenix does a wonderful job narrating (he's a life-long vegan), and brings a solemn tone to the film. The video clips are hard to watch, but are undeniably happening millions of times every day, all over the world. With any luck, people will watch this film and be inspired to reject and prevent this kind of cruelty from occurring in the future. I know I will.

I will give this film a 10, because even though I knew some of the information going into it, the film still covers more aspects of animal rights than I ever though imaginable.

An extremely disturbing film. I, like some other readers, felt physically ill and at one point stopped the movie - coming back to it a couple of days later.

I'm sure we have all seen disturbing footage or heard gruesome stories, but what made this seem different was it was very well narrated and the content well structured.

The sound track was wonderful but sombre with the likes of Moby and others of his ilk.

An amazing movie... and a catalyst for all of us to consider what we can do to help the situation - no matter how small the contribution.

Watching a documentary like this is not an easy thing to do. But it is something that all people should do. The way animals are treated by humans is nothing short of horrific. The sad fact is that people don't want to be educated in this regard. It is far easier for them to remain ignorant. The question that I was constantly asking myself throughout this film, is "how can people work in these places, and inflict the level of cruelty to these animals so blatantly". Perhaps they are numb to it. But I guess the fact that they can become numb to is means that there is probably no hope for these animals at all. The truly sad part is that many of them seemed to enjoy their work. I certainly hope that I am wrong.

This documentary covers *all* facets of human speciesism (a term that is referred to throughout the film). Pets, and pet abuse, animals for food and clothing, cruelty to animals in the name of human entertainment, zoos, circuses. Although I do consider myself to be an educated vegan, I did learn a lot from watching this documentary. The tone in which Joaquin Phoenix narrated was very compelling. You can tell that he is passionate about the subject.

I suspect that only a vegan or perhaps a vegetarian would be able to watch this all the way through. Most people that support the industries that are outlined within the film, would likely turn it off when it gets to the graphic sections, as they wouldn't want to be put off their dinner. As the film says, it's easier to remain ignorant, so that you don't have to battle with your conscience and make the hard decisions.

I urge everyone that gets the opportunity to see this documentary, to do so. It really is an education indeed. It can be purchased on line from http://www.isawearthlings.com/