An Inconvenient Sequel – A Review

I saw Al Gore’s latest film today. I remember seeing his original film, an Inconvenient Truth about decade ago. In the intervening time I, as well as the world, has changed so much.
While the first film followed the pattern of alternating good news and bad news with a conclusion of how to take action this itteration felt like it focussed more on the direness of the current situation while the good news felt more like an ill-fated attempt at balance. The conclusion was also not a happy ending.

The film was not released in any of the larger cinema chains. I went to see it in a small cinema of one of the smaller, more independent chains. Even so there were only a handful of people at the screening. I’m not sure if weekend morning screening was too early for most people or if that is an indication that the message of the film might not have such a broad appeal anymore.

The film use a similar setup to an Inconvenient Truth, bits of Al Gore’s presentation are interspersed with clips of him traveling around the world meeting with various people on the front lines of the climate change predicament. A large part of the film focuses on the Paris Climate Conference, COP21.

I couldn’t help feeling that if the champion of climate change, Al Gore, is starting to feel the strain that we are in in dire straits. Seeing various of the effect of climate change in quick succession as well as hearing the ardent voices from the denier camp leaves me feeling hopeless. I’m not very optimistic by nature and the existence of this film in itself shows me that in 10 years we have not risen to the occasion and met the climate change predicament head on. If anything we are now worse off with the United States having removed itself from the already tenuous Paris Climate Accords.

In conclusion I think it was a good film, the message was clear and there was no sugarcoating of the solution being just around the corner. I’ve heard the quote that problems have solutions and predicaments have outcomes. Climate change then is most definitely the predicament of our age.