FrackNation

When I happened across this movie 20 minutes into it, I thought, "How clever of Big Energy, hiring this humble filmmaker to create pro-fracking propaganda for them." But the longer I watched, the clearer it became to me that McAleer wasn't advocating fracking, just pursuing facts and not pushing anything. I came away with a realization that yeah! there really is another side to the "conventional wisdom." I'm guessing the majority of people who have even heard of fracking are against it because of what they've been fed by "green" types helped by media that are more lazy than biased. I hope McAleer's message will somehow reach people whose attitude is, "Don't confuse me with facts."

GREAT DOCUMENTARY !! Phelim's unassuming interview style belies a tenacious knack for getting to the truth, seeing his subjects melt down is worth it alone. The movie makes a clear case for the benefits of fracking including how safe it is. With the positives massively outweighing the negatives you have to wonder why our Gov't and the enviros (AKA the Left) fight it so hard to destroy it ?? A MUST SEE !! The film showcases how fracking is accomplished and the small ecological footprint it leaves. Most of all it contradicts Big Media's attempts to destroy fracking. The film"Gasland" is an attempt at pure propaganda. The director, Josh Fox, is confronted a number of times by Fracknation's director, Phelim McAleer, and refuses to answer questions.

This movie (I cannot refer to it as a documentary, as it has been carefully scripted) appears to be the gas industry's response to Gasland. The entire movie is a bunch of people with a vested interest in hydraulic fracturing being interviewed. An utter farce.

The industry has either paid jobbers to write glowing 10/10 reviews or made their own staff construct the reviews to try and give a false rating. Who in their right mind goes and gives a documentary 10/10, no room for improvement? They are clearly paid to write these bogus reviews.

I am sure this review in itself will be given poor ratings as well, just like the other negative review of the film on IMDb.

It was nice to hear the other side of the story. I'm sick of the 1% (actors and rich politicians) manipulating our information to fit their agendas. There are too many groups in our country who wish to censor opposition rather than have a calm debate over the facts. Why wouldn't you welcome investigations by multiple source to prove your point? America needs more debate and information free of censorship. This documentary was well produced. It really showed how we in America can be managed by a biased media. Actors who are either uninformed or have their own agenda push questionable information. We need to question the information put before us rather than viciously supporting it and tearing down opposition. This film does exactly what we all need to do. When presented with information first ask if it's true. Seek out other sources that support or disprove the information. To be clear, I'm not saying I believe this documentary 100%. Only that it's nice to hear another point of view.

It quickly becomes pretty clear that this "documentary" is a personal attack on a documentary called Gasland and it's director. Had the "doc" been much better in it's execution and less eager to subvert just one man and his work. Then it could actually have delivered something that could've sparked a debate.

The theme is therefor less about researching fracking, and more about trying to discredit Gasland.

A lot of effort is poured into maintaining that the film was funded on Kickstarter. Actually so much effort go into iterating this, that it begins to become suspect. On top of this, researching superficially on the director "Phelim McAleer" quickly tells the story of a "documentarian" who has worked to support big business.

As for FrackNation as a whole it is a disjointed piece of work that, in its quest to connect human emotion with fracking, keep losing focus throughout. From obviously staged "demonstrations" in Dimock & ridiculous confrontations. To the involuntarily humorous, with it's attacks on renewable energy: "Wind turbines are massive, 24/7, ruthless, bird killing machines" and scenes where fracking becomes the great savior of farms (even though fracking has nothing to do with farming) around the country, purporting that should a farm dissipate it would automatically be replaced by residential buildings which would contribute massive amounts of pollution through traffic and well-digging.

We also have an interview with a biochemist called Bruce Ames on the chemicals used in the fracking process. But instead of explaining the chemicals, the issue is sidestepped and the conclusion just becomes "Scare stories sell newspapers", again taking jabs at Gasland.

It all closes with a corny propagandistic ad for energy, that feels completely disjointed from the rest of the movie. And a monologue that concludes, without any real data, that fracking is completely without problems.

In conclusion. The documentary merits of this film are severely lacking and even though the film-maker behind, goes to great lengths to talk up the "documentary's" independence from the energy industry. You're left with the distinct feeling that even though the film was financed through Kickstarter, the backers are the energy industry who've just made the contributions look like they were donated by a lot of different people.

Now I have to see Gasland. Hopefully that will be much better than this dribble.