Packed with abundant evidence and persuasive speakers, Crude Impact
sounds the alarm over world peak oil. Once extraction of this
non-renewable resource passes the tipping point, the biosphere and
global economy could collapse (author Thom Hartmann claims it's already
happened). James Jandak Wood offers a thorough take on the crisis,
incorporating factors such as the transition from agrarian to industrial
societies, the switch from coal to oil, rapid population growth, and
human rights abuses. Though his interview subjects, mostly authors and
attorneys, concentrate on the U.S., several cite China's rising
consumption rates as a serious concern. States author Michael
Economides, "China has gone berserk in its energy demand." Wood also
shines a light on Ecuador and Nigeria, oil-producing nations where
poverty, pollution, and disease run rampant, leading to the execution of
protesters like Ken Saro-Wiwa, who spoke out against the actions of
Shell Oil in Africa. As in the documentary King Corn, the
director concludes that our oil addiction is hastening our demise (just
as our over-reliance on corn-filled products has reached critical mass).
Though Crude Impact covers some of the same ground as Who Killed the Electric Car? and A Crude Awakening,
all released within the same year, his point bears repeating since the
problem persists. The repetitive score serves as a mild soporific, but
time-lapse photography, eye-catching graphics, and clips from vintage
ads, cartoons, and comedies liven up the grim scenario. Well organized
bonus interviews, along with a few funny outtakes, add further value.
