(Pretty strong argument for never joining a protest rally - ever…..)
CAST: Ray Liotta, Woody Harrelson, Charlize Theron, Martin Henderson, Connie Nielsen, Michelle Rodriguez, Andre Benjamin.
DIRECTOR: Stuart Townsend
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and one rather ugly day in the history of the Rainy City - straight ahead…
IT’S LIKE THIS: In 1999, the World Trade Organization held a conference in downtown Seattle. Considering many were upset with the WTO and claimed that it was looking out more for the interests of industrial nations - and not the basic rights and interests of poor, third-world countries - it wasn’t too surprising that shitloads of protestors turned out to make their voices heard. The Seattle authorities basically unleashed the whoop-ass on them, and things got ugly very fast. This film attempts to recreate what happened (with some stuff jazzed up, apparently), and shows how the disturbing events that day affected different people. To include: some cops (Woody Harrelson, Channing Tatum), the mayor (Ray Liotta), the protestors (Martin Henderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jennifer Carpenter), a smokin’ hot journalist (Connie Nielsen), and a smokin’ hot innocent bystander (Charlize Theron).
THE DUDE (OR DUDETTE) MOST LIKELY TO SAVE THE DAY: Ostensibly, the cops. But don’t bet on it, since they seem to inflict just as much chaos as they resolve.
EYE CANDY MOST LIKELY TO FIRE UP A WOODY: New Zealand hottie Martin Henderson (AKA Baby Russell Crowe) as one of the main protestors. Connie Nielsen as the conflicted reporter who finally takes a stand. And Charlize Theron as the poor innocent cop’s wife who gets horribly caught in the crossfire.
MOST INTENTIONALLY SCARY SCENE: Ella (Charlize Theron), getting attacked without provocation by one of the dipshit cops. That was just fucked-up.
MOST UNINTENTIONALLY SCARY SCENE: The protestors dangling by a cable from a very high crane, trying to put up an elaborate protest banner. Now that’s dedication. My take on that kind of dedication? Fuck. That.
HOTTEST SCENE: Martin Henderson with his shirt off. Connie Nielsen and Charlize Theron even with their clothes on.
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW: Who will survive this horrible day in Seattle‘s history? And will the survivors be changed? What about the city? What about the WTO? Will they change their agenda? Or will it be business as usual? Why does it rain so much in this fucking city?
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH “BATTLE IN SEATTLE”: If you like gritty, topical flicks based on gritty, topical events. And if you like ensemble pieces filled with talented and beautiful actors.
WHY YOU MAY NOT ENJOY “BATTLE IN SEATTLE”: If you prefer your flicks to be 100% fiction. If you hate Seattle and ensemble pieces filled with talented and beautiful actors, and prefer star-driven fare instead.
FINAL ANALYSIS: I was still living in Germany when the WTO riots took place in Seattle in 1999. I remember hearing about it in the news, but didn’t know many details. I’m not certain if BATTLE IN SEATTLE is an accurate depiction of what happened, since the prologue tells us that it us “based on true events” but some parts have been fictionalized. What the film does manage to do is present the story in documentary-like starkness that makes me suspect that overall tone of what happened those few days was successfully captured by Stuart Townsend and his talented cast.
Of the eclectic ensemble cast, there is hardly a false note. The most affecting are Martin Henderson and Michelle Rodriguez as protesters who meet and fall in love just as hell is breaking out all around them. Connie Nielsen is also strong as the glamorous journalist whose first-hand exposure to the mistreatment of the protestors by the authorities changes her - and pushes her to make a choice for them. Woody Harrelson and Charlize Theron are equally compelling as a riot cop and his innocent wife who are brutally changed by the events. Theron, in particular, continues to prove what an amazingly empathetic actress she is.
In the end, whether or not BATTLE IN SEATTLE is true to the events that occurred in 1999 remains to be seen. But taken as movie, it is a gripping and shocking experience that reminds us how easy it is for any situation to turn ugly.
