Before The Flood: Leo's Warning
Before the Flood, a new documentary starring Leonardo DiCaprio, puts the global superstar in a journalist’s shoes. In the film, DiCaprio travels across the world, questioning why climate change is still not the modern world’s top priority. DiCaprio emphasizes all the reasons why it should be, demonstrating through a certain pessimism how, if everyone takes responsibility for this ongoing issue, we can stop the human species from destroying the planet. The movie narrates the effects of our dependency on fossil fuels in a way that is easily understandable for the audience, unlike many climate change documentaries. The movie does not only try to scare viewers into changing the way they live; it asks the leaders of the modern world how to stop climate change.
Because his perspective is that of a Hollywood star, influenced by his metropolitan upbringing and the rather shallow entertainment industry, his urge to highlight the urgency of the matter might seem inadequate or immoral. However, DiCaprio manages to reach the masses in a more relatable way, allowing the audience to engage with him and his message at a deeper level. He does this by telling his story and his devotion to solving the problem in a very honest way; he emphasizes his pessimism towards the future, and and even criticizes his own lifestyle, saying that they “may have chosen the wrong guy” to be the Messenger of Peace for the United Nations. Despite his modesty, DiCaprio showed himself to be an effective choice to spread awareness of climate change. Through his economic and social power, he is able to travel all around the world, meeting all kinds of people: fisherman in the Arctic who are living with the melting glaciers, farmers in India who do not have the resources to protect their farmlands from floods, and experts on the numerous oil drills and devistated woodlands across the world. Because of his status, viewers are able to witness conversations with equally illustrious people, such as Elon Musk, Barack Obama, and the Pope.
DiCaprio also has the courage to call out several media outlets and politicians, who he blames for society's collective lack of action. Through his research, viewers see how the media have influenced society's beliefs on climate change, and how corporations and politicians use the media to confuse the masses in order to create a system of corruption. He examines the reality of governmental power, and how, through their authority, they convince society that we are powerless. This movie does not only inspire the audience to take action and engage with the fight for global health; it also explains that behavioral change is needed not only for the safety of future generations, but to fulfill our current population’s morality and social responsibility. Most notably, the film was released online, for free. This movie is a must-see; it allows viewers to reevaluate all the information about what is happening to the world, acknowledge that the biggest change we need to see is a change of governmental priorities, and understand that that change can only begin through each individual's determination and ambition to make earth a healthier and better place to live in, both for ourselves, and for future generations.
