Reel Review Roundup

The Earth Wins

Directed by: Jerry Grayson

Three and a half stars

Review by: Julian Wright

There is no question that the human race takes this planet and its resources for granted. We pillage the land to expand and develop, often with little thought for the harm we are doing or the consequences that may arise in the future. With the environmental movement throughout the decades and recent awareness of climate change, we are slowly changing our attitudes and methods, but whether we care to admit it or not, we are destroying our home.

At times a hypnotic slide show of beauty and other times a stark reminder of how small and insignificant the human race is, The Earth Wins is a thought-provoking 40 minutes about how we treat our world and how it treats us back. Stringing together images that range from animals in the wild to the aftermath of natural disasters that director Jerry Grayson collected from a helicopter over four continents, this short film reminds us to appreciate the Earth but also make us quite aware that we are constantly at Mother Nature’s mercy.

Accompanying the striking imagery are rhetorical questions posed to us – some obvious and familiar, others more thoughtful and pointed. At times it feels like we are being constantly prodded, in which case Grayson could have eased off a bit with the text. However, there are moments in which they are quite effective. The choice of angle is purposefully distancing; instead of getting up close and personal, Grayson takes a step back, which allows us to see from a different perspective.

Exploring the relationship between a home and its inhabitants with the use of perfectly framed and colour-filled shots, The Earth Wins finds the beauty in the stunning and the beauty in the devastating. It will make you think twice next time you drop litter on the ground or when Mother Nature arcs up again with a nasty storm.

The Earth Wins screens as part of Revelation Perth International Film Festival with In Search Of Blind Joe Death on July 13 and 14.

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