Surplus: Terrorized Into Being Consumers

Yes, it tries to deliver its message of anti-capitalism. But it does it by repeating scenes over and over again (it makes you wonder if they didn't film enough or had to pad the movie to extend it's run time because of a lack of money/footage or both). It feels more like the film is trying to force its message onto you until you say uncle.

Most of the scenes are un-narrated (and un-translated). This leaves the viewer lost and confused. Huh? What do these people in this segment have to do with anti-capitalism? The transitions between scenes could use some help here. The editing is horrible. The film goes from one scene to the next without any sort of explanation to the viewer. Okay, there are people rioting. Um, what is it that they're rioting over? Why are they rioting? In the end, the film's message of anti-capitalism is cluttered/muddled because of bad film editing/direction. The reason is never backed up by any sort of substance or fact. Thus, it makes this movie appear more like a propaganda film than a documentary about anti-capitalism.

It's awful. Don't waste your time on this film. Go watch the corporation documentary; it's much more informative and well made. I only give it a 3 because it is somewhat thought provoking (if you can get over the constant repeated scenes and repeated dialogues).

this is a very brilliantly made documentary. there are more than one narratives going at once, streaming to you in a cleverly cut together fashion, which normally juxtaposes what is being said to what the opposite is.

for those who say this film is like a music video rather than a documentary, all i can say is that you don't get it. the fashion and rhythmic style of the editing is not to make it amusing but to hammer and retort on the style of consuming that exists today. that is, to repeatedly go back and back and back and back to the same product and consumer goods to feed feed feed feed our structured likes/wants/needs from advertising from a completely absorbing imperialistic consumer society.

with that said, if that made sense to you, you too would enjoy this documentary; it changed the way i looked at life to an extent.

go watch this film. now.

This is one of the most touching and truthful documentary I have ever seen. The film is about our world, the modern civilisation that eats more than needed.

What really makes me like it is how the messege is presented. It could almost be a MTV video if I didn´t know better. Various sound-clips and pictures made together rythmicly to music.

It´s not very much information that is physicly showed, its the pictures in symbios with music that is the real strength in this flick.

I strongly recomend that you see it as fast as you can and start to think; do I really need all this?

This is without doubt one of the most convincing and impressive documentaries I have ever seen. It is very in-your-face and not subtle, and you might not agree with the message (consumerism is bad), but anyone would have to admit that this film is very, very well made.

It's form is highly original. For example, there's a quick montage of the world's leaders (Bush, Blair, Poetin, Chirac etc.), who's voices have been erased, and replaced by a new one, literally 'putting words in their mouths'. Great!

And I should mention the editing, which is in accordance with the images and music. The whole film playes like a musical piece, with repeting themes, set-ups and climaxes.

For the original form alone, you should see this when you have the chance. Even when you think capitalism is okay.

A very unusual documentary about consumerism. I prefer

statistics-filled, dry, just-throw-the-facts-at-me types of

documentaries. I find most of Michael Moore's humor distracting to his

main points, for example. This film uses a variety of techniques to

appeal to emotions.

For instance, it uses a sometimes annoying, sometimes surprisingly

effective tactic of repeating sound bites. The footage ranges from

protests to interviews. Footage includes a Cuban teen's reactions to

visiting McDonalds, to European homeless people, to Microsoft's Steve

Ballmer dancing around screaming to motivate Windows programmers at a

conference. It's truly unusual, but despite my preference for "drier"

more fact-oriented documentaries, I found this unusual emotion-appeal

film quite enjoyable and effective. That surprised me; perhaps it will

you too?