Earthlings academic review

The movie ‘Earthlings’ quite successfully contends the cruelty of animal abuse. It contains abundant horrible videos taken by dozens of hidden cameras, such as cannibalism, ocean covered with blood, elementary students who is passing slaughterhouse by, monkeys of which head twisted by 60 degrees several times, and etc. These alarm a number of facts about human beings such as inhumanity, indifference, and cruelty. Lots of students, especially girls, cannot have a meat for several hours after watching movies. Many of them feel disgusting by just looking meals, and some of them even vomit during watching the movie. It means the movie ‘Earthlings’ somewhat succeeds to make people emotionally react. Some elements of this movie contribute significantly to change people’s thought, but still it isn’t perfect.

 

The systematical flow of the movie is effective to show diverse methods of mistreat. The movie is comprised of five chapters: Pet, Food, Cloth, Entertainment, and Science. Each chapter has totally different settings, with distinct plots at all. For example, in the fifth chapter ‘Science’, monkey is taking a space shuttle, while in the second chapter ‘Food’, people cut pigs’ throat, while pigs hanging upside down for a few minutes. These various scenes enable people to broaden their thoughts. They can learn animals are closely connected to them in many ways, and wherever animals have close relationship with people, the abuse accompanies. Each chapter has their own ways of showing brutal mistreat. While chapter one through three focuses mainly on the terrible images and ways of abuse, the fourth chapter Entertainment, chiefly consist of training scene with curse and punishment. Furthermore, there are attempts to change people’s thought at the beginning and the end of the movie, including beautiful scenes of peaceful nature. It’s quite effective ways of letting people think they are coexisting with millions of other creatures, and human beings have harmed those beautiful natures. Systematical flow of the movie, consist of introduction, 5 chapters of body, and the conclusion, helps people think deeply about themselves and animals.

 

 The last part of each chapter has their own ways of closing and change topics to the next. These mostly include the messages that film director trying to send. The most meaningful end is from chapter three to four. It shows the shocking video of seal hunt, and then one person asks the price of the fur coat, answered by the other saying “This is … $49,500.” This high price implies demand is relatively higher than supply. It shows that supply always comes when demand exists. In other words, people try to get fur of animals somehow because it brings them ample amount of income. The fur coat is definitely luxury not a necessity. People wear it for showing their wealth, not for protecting themselves. Reducing the demand would be one of the most effective ways of protecting animals.

 

 At the beginning of the film, there is comparison of Nazis: in their behavior toward creatures, all men were Nazis. This comparison is very fresh. Most methods introduced in this film were once used toward people. Whipping, cannibalism, boiling to death, cutting neck, and peeling the skin off were used in both orient and western country. Torturing people was commonly conducted without many doubts before recent days. These became prohibited as people devise the concept of dignity, respecting each and every person and inner world of him or her. In people’s inner world, the centers are always themselves. They perceive the outer world by the relationship with themselves, and the relationship formed the inner world. These facts became accepted and the concept of human dignity was formed. The comparison to Nazis tries to broaden the scope to the all animals, which have their own independent inner worlds. The inner worlds of animals start to be recognized as well, yet they are not as complete as human beings. By this comparison, the necessity of accepting animal dignity is suggested. All human beings would be the same as Nazis if they ignore the dignity of animals.

 

 Although the three very good points of movie and large amount of data play a significant role in changing people’s thought, the effect of this movie is still limited. People feel disgusting, so they try not to remind this. The film maker even admits this in the director’s feature. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpFbT9XIVoQ ) If the feeling of disgusting overwhelms the thought of change, the film fails. People try not to remind what they saw, not thinking deeply about what the real problem is. Furthermore, the movie makes people have critical mind on cruelty. However, Cruelty is not a real and basic problem. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=msf1bQrSnvQ ) Nature often accompanies cruelty, when tigers eat zebras, and people get fur from sheep as usual. The basis of all problems is not acknowledging the inner world of animals. People should depend on animal resources in living, but they should respect their world at the same time. Minimizing pain as well as providing appropriate living condition is necessary. Also, people should judge which is more important, luxurious fur coat or the lives of animals. Animals used for luxury and entertainment should be reconsidered.

 

 Many people know the mistreating toward animals before watching Earthlings. Although they’ve already heard from somewhere about the terribleness of hamburger-making-process, people would clearly realize how widely and cruel animals are used. People might not want to remind anymore, but many of them would keep the problem in mind. If they have chance, they would express their thoughts at once, and it would be starting point of ‘revolution’. Although Earthlings does not teach what the real problem is, it would lead people to pay attention on animal rights. Just making people bear the problem in mind is meaningful enough for one film.