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Before the Flood

2016, Environment  -   26 Comments
7.57
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Ratings: 7.57/10 from 110 users.

A devoted environmentalist, actor Leonardo DiCaprio was named the United Nations Messenger on Climate Change in 2014. He's by no means a scientist, but his tremendous fame affords him the global platform and unfettered access required to effectively advocate for the preservation of our planet. With great determination and investigative curiosity, DiCaprio embraces this challenge through the format for which he is best known: the cinema.

The feature-length documentary Before the Flood represents the fruits of his efforts to educate himself and others on this pressing crisis. The film takes a sweeping and all-encompassing view of the slowly building catastrophe that is global warming. DiCaprio plays inquisitive host to many of the world's top climate scientists and assorted leaders who have remained at the forefront of the issue. Given our current trajectory, their prognosis for our planet is anything but optimistic.

We're placed in the middle of the arctic where hundreds of cubic kilometers of ice have melted in record time, thereby ushering in the potential for more calamitous weather patterns, floods and droughts. We're taken to the halls of power in Washington where well over a hundred senators currently contend that climate change is a myth. In Beijing, China, we're introduced to a population who struggles with rampant disease and death due to the record-setting pollution brought on by industrialized interests. We're shown the woefully inadequate infrastructure of the world's most populated coastal regions.

From the destruction of the rainforests to the disintegration of the coral reefs, the destructive impact of our carbon footprint is clearly stated, as are the consequences of further inaction. Throughout the course of the film, DiCaprio acts as the audience's surrogate; seeking out evidence that supports the notion that global warming is in a constant state of escalation, and even questioning his own contributions to the crisis.

In order to reverse the tides of climate change, the global community must come together to overcome the greatest challenge our world has ever known. Before the Flood offers a comprehensive overview of climate change, and empowers viewers to take a stand in saving their planet for future generations.

Directed by: Fisher Stevens

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26 Comments / User Reviews

  1. Joseph Reyes

    Climate change is just like readdressing evolution in a manner that aurora borealis becomes a global event.. And brocas brain becomes the exo planet..

  2. darryl

    UH, Steven, yes there have actually been 4 studies, made, contrived to the effect of 97% agree. I suggest you look at the methodology and find remarks from some who found themselves in the 97% (like the one done by Cook and Associates in Australia) as they share the fact that no they are not among the 97% chosen. In a 2012 survey among meteorologists only 52% thought so.
    Do some work for yourself. In the 1970's the entire science world involved with climate and weather thought the next ice age was coming.
    If accurate results were desired as to what facts are regarding belief's a reputable statistician would be solicited, not grad students.
    I am in contact with scientists around the world and I do believe that among scientists in some ancillary sub-field there is a genuine majority belief in anthropogenic climate change, but not so among life long members of the field. Some sad things are, It is a relatively new science and yet antithetical to scientific procedure it is deemed settled. Arguments are made not by discussion or debate about facts but about ad hominen attacks from people who do not have a clue so terms like 'denier' comes out as in one who would deny the holocaust existed or you are a 'flat earther'
    Al Gore strongly suggests don't discuss it with someone who knows
    So now, how stupid do they think we are in making this film. I saw it, I tried to go in with an objective mind, but wow. just give it a little thought. I cannot comment as to the social situations and the economic situations in some places, but every one of the scientific ones that I saw approached being preposterous.
    Consider the building in Miami, being under water and areas around. Now, if flooding was happening due to ocean rise, would not nearby ocean cities have the same experience. Florida is a state in which sink holes occur regularly, it is really a pile of old ground up sea shells to a large extent (nice white sands) and as such basements cannot be built.
    Poor Michael Mann and his so called hockey stick graph was taken as a great break through in science, celebrated by the IPCC (notice the name was change to climate change from warming, because it was cooling in some places). The whole thing was done using tree rings from a type of pine that grows in Colorado and No. CA , using a method called principle components because then all the other data could be eliminated, when Harvard Scientist Willie Soon, suggested that this knarled pine was very sensitive to rain, he was attacked. I know of at least 50 studies which contradict this study, but this points to another great problem. There is a great chasm between science and the general public and that is the media. Ego, money, and political ideology too often prevents that chasm from being crossed, because in the media, most often, bad news is good news, and good news is no news. Finally look at the graph closely, if you see the film and you will see that that current temperatures are in red, that is because the results actually showed cooling, but they truncated it (cut it off) and put different temps in.
    and oh yeah, there was great concern amount the warmist world, you know the one that has hundreds of realms of history, about the Vikings settling Greenland during the Medieval warm period, and England actually producing more grapes and wine then France and then the ice came and Vikings left and attack parts of Europe and ice was formed and skating was done on the rivers in England.
    Think about, thousands, and thousands of books and reams of info for teaching will have to be tossed because much of the science world now holds esteem to Michael Mann and his graph... It should be noted that others have followed suit with essential the same result

  3. ms

    the guy who bought an island to build an upscale eco-resort and who drives a Land Rover when not doing pr events is narrating? ha ha no thanks.

  4. Steven

    It's laughable to read comments on this site from people who say on the one hand that they live in the real world and that enviromentalists such as DiCaprio are being foolish while ignoring the simple fact that 97 percent of the scientific community are in agreement. There must be a real educational problem in America (no offence). I can't believe how wilfully ignorent most of the posters are. Hatred seems to block out common sense. The Oil Lobby knows exactly how to play the American violin. They bypass logic and common sense and instead massage the prejudices beneth the surface. So DiCaprio can be ignored because he is a hiprocrite who goes around on his private jet. (even though he does not own a private jet which will never sink in some people's heads, and even though he pays a volentery tax to ofset his carbon emissions, and even though he travels to raise money for enviromentle causes such as the 60 million this year which more than ofsets any damage he has done, and even though it's hardly feasible for him to swim across the ocion to do it) Ignore this because he is an actor (So what) who is rich (and puts his money where his mouth is by investing in enviromentle causes and donating millions more to enviromentle causes) and dosent know what he is talking about (unlike the armchair critic deriding him because they know better than he does because they get there information from fox news and tabloids who clearly know what they are talking about, unlike DiCaprio who has only spent the last 20 years of his life being educated on the subject by the Nobel prize winning scientists, professors, university think tanks, and 97 percent of the scientific community across the world who clearly arnt as smart as fox news) Of course the fact that the world at large believes that climate change is real and man made and that things are going to get worse, the fact that the documentry shows the clear damage this is causing to people's homes, that can all be ignored to because somehow DiCaprio is on the take and being paid to say this. And how do we know this? Because the fossil fuel industry has a lobby that pumps out this message through its affiliates at Fox and in the tabloids. Of course the fossil fuel industry has nothing to gain. WHEN THE TABACCA INDUSTRY TOLD PEOPLE THAT SMOKING WAS NOT BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH AND THAT CANCER WAS CAUSED BY THE SUN AND NOTHING ELSE SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, AND WHEN THEY WHEELED IN A FEW LOBBY DOCTORS TO AGREE WHILE IGNORING THE REMAINING MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT WHO TRIED IN VAIN TO POINT OUT THE TRUTH, I'M SURE THE ARMCHAIR CRITICS WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH THE TABACCA INDUSTRY. Think.

  5. Lauren Rain

    This is such an important, dedicated film, and so very well put together. The people they interview of the highest quality and credentials. It addresses the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced. Mr. DiCaprio has clearly, and brilliantly, dedicated a great part of his life and career to helping the world to wake up to climate change and the unsustainibility of our global civilization. Mr. DiCaprio has recently donated MILLIONS of dollars to environmental work - he puts his time, and his money, where his mouth and his heart is. So do many, many others who care about future generations.

    That is why it is so appalling to read the comments that people make on this site, and elsewhere, so incredibly appalling now to think that we have a president who doesn't "believe in climate change". There is no issue of "belief", this isn't something we get to "vote on". I will no longer read comments on this site, because it is so depressing to observe how mean spirited and negative people, how little they seem to be able to appreciate the great gifts of dedication that artists like Mr. DiCaprio, and all those who made this important film, give. THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THIS IS A BRILLIANT, AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FILM.

  6. leodicaprio

    these comments are always so weird

  7. Rokas

    Interestingly this video has been deleted both from Facebook(DiCaprio) and Youtube...right after Trupm won the elections.

  8. naturalamerican

    I cannot view this video. Any other sources of this particular doco?

  9. jackal

    Why is this documentary suddenly "private" so that it cannot be viewed?? Nov 11/2016

  10. Chuck

    Great insight from the comments. It instills a belief we are awake and not subject to the noise of control.

  11. Roger Andout

    This lily has been very well gilded at this stage.
    All economics (resources) is a matter of supply & demand.
    In this case Earth's resources are limited and uncontrolled exploitation creates the problems we humans have today. As demand (populations with greater expectations) grows, supply will surely follow, regardless of cost. Ergo, it seems that the solution is to reduce demand (by reducing populations).
    Fannying around with carbon credits, etc, is essentially evading the difficult solution, especially with "get-out-of-jail" clauses whereby poor countries can "sell" their credits to countries rich enough to buy them, thereby perpetuating the cycle.

    Minds greater than mine are paid huge amounts to square this particular circle.

  12. Amy Daniel

    Thank God there are people here smart enough to recognise the huge hypocrisy of not only Leo, the presenter, but also the corporations he represents. We must pay the price for all their abuse, he says. We say - no, you pay the price!

  13. James Rand

    The problem with that is the United States has not proven that it is willing to make any significant changes. We are a stubborn people that only think with our stomaches and our wallets.

  14. Thomas Wong

    At this moment, there are 4 actions we as private persons of this planet can help. Install solar panels on your roof. In stalled solar water heating system, also on your roof. Drive electric cars. Grow some of your own foods from your grey water from your kitchen/bathrooms or rain water collected from your roof. When most of us do these things, we are taking positive actions in our small ways to help, rather than waiting for Goverments to move. Do not wait for anyone, this is URGENT.

  15. Glenn Luttrell

    Thank you Leo for exposing the wrongs and what we all have is to share is our responsibility with Mother Earth and mankind

  16. kingfala

    Firstly, i think America needs to change its lifestyle, if one american consumes as much as 61 Nigerians, then the world over. The whole world looks to america for trends, and every one already wants their lifestyle, ( which is completely worldly,) where success is determined by how much materials you consume. Changing their lifestyles will go a long way in reducing the problem, and encouraging the world, to adopt healthier lifestyles.

  17. loraine st james

    Brilliant comments , all true , some with pure progressive solutions...

  18. Danny

    Should we tax the fossil fuel companies making billions in profit and paying almost no tax? NO! Tax the general population of retards while these companies continue to rape the natural world. You are dumb.

  19. john margetts

    Bret Tutor you talk sense and light bulbs can already be manufactured to last a lot longer than the one's we now buy do. They have built in obsolescence as you will know.
    So the technology is there to create vehicles that run on water and industry which does not destroy the environment but the politicians seem hell bent on going in the wrong direction because they prefer money to good sense. The answer is revolution of the intellect.

  20. Bret Tutor

    Hey Patrick I can see that English is probably not your native language so let me help. The earth and other planets do change throughout time. For us to pretend that we know how much we are changing it and how to fix it is dumb. So yes, the government comes along and says they know it all so f%^king pay us or we all die. We pay them, they waste the money, we roll on. Most great empires were at their peaks when you have the lowest amount of taxation along with the least amount of laws. Empires fail with the greater the taxation and the more control on the people. There are many reasons for the failure but I believe that it is because one of the side effects is so much control prevents new inventions. Anyway, I am rambling.

    We should focus on sustainable products that last a lifetime. We should be able to create light bulbs that rarely need to be replaced, computers where parts can be swapped in and out, cars that rarely breakdown, etc. Look up planned obsolescence and then figure out how few corporations there really are making all this crap that we will drown in.

    I could care less about carbon when faced with a mound of plastic, metal, and other garbage. I can measure the difference there as well.

  21. joe

    people that dont believe the earth is heating much too fast...probably like to squish bugs too.
    destroyers!

  22. patrick varencaus

    You pretend, like the mafiozo government pretends climate change is due to over population and polution and men s fault.................... but its a taxation scam or please tell me why all the other planets are also warming up ?

  23. Matt Houston

    @Bret Tutor - agreed whole heartedly!

  24. Tim

    DiCaprio takes his private jet to Alberta, lectures the people who produce the jet fuel, carries on to South of France, gets helicoptered out to his private yacht that is bigger than a navy destroyer and tells others how to live without hydrocarbons.

  25. Bret Tutor

    Who likes this fear porn? I thought that we all grew up by now and realize that yes, the earth's climate changes, we honestly do not know how much we impact the changes, and lastly, we actually do not know how to solve the problem. Pushing this carbon credit scenario so that rich bankers can rub two pieces of paper together and draw tax money from us poor schmucks is not going to help at all.

    If we really gave a rats ass what we would do is focus on the amount of trash that we pump out through inferior products and a single serving lifestyle. That, combined with crappy ass factory farming focused on shitty food that pollutes our waters, interrupts the natural cycles of life and kills vast amounts of bugs and bees. Now we have Bayer and Monsanto merging in some sinister incestuous relationship to snuff out the last of the family farms.

    "As an actor I pretend for a living and I am doing the same goddamn thing right now" You got it right DiCrapeo. What a douchebag. If you still believe this nonsense folks, then good for you. Wish I could be that damn ignorant.

    Again, let's get together and focus on things that we can get better control over and are measurable. Carbon credits just ain't gonna due it lill o Leo.

    P.S. Sierra Club are a bunch of ecofascist numbnuts.

  26. bim sala bim

    a joke - follow the MONEY !