Battle in Seattle (2007)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Stuart Townsend

Writer:

Stuart Townsend (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 May 2008 (France)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

The whole world is watching

Plot:

Activists arrive in Seattle, Washington en masse to protest a meeting of the World Trade Organization. Riots and chaos ensue as demonstrators successfully stop the WTO meetings. |

Plot Keywords:

World Trade Organization | Seattle Washington | Activist | Protest | Political Activism

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Martin Henderson	...	Jay
Michelle Rodriguez	...	Lou
Woody Harrelson	...	Dale
Charlize Theron	...	Ella
Jennifer Carpenter	...	Sam
André Benjamin	...	Django
Ray Liotta	...	Mayor Jim Tobin
Connie Nielsen	...	Jean
Channing Tatum	...	Johnson
Isaach De Bankolé	...	Abasi (as Isaach De Bankole)
Rade Serbedzija	...	Dr. Maric (as Rade Sherbedzija)
Ivana Milicevic	...	Carla
Tzi Ma	...	Governor
Joshua Jackson	...	Randall
Christopher Jacot	...	Michael

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence.

Runtime:

99 min | USA:98 min

Country:

USA | Canada | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG | USA:R | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Company:

Redwood Palms Pictures

Goofs:

Anachronisms: There are numerous changes to the Seattle skyline since the time of the riots. 1) The Kingdome should be present but isn't 2) Qwest Field is shown but didn't exist at the time 3) The new City Hall is featured in a shot but it wasn't built yet 4) There are several changes to the downtown retail core, and 5) Many buildings have been added and deleted from the Fourth Avenue scenes.

Quotes:

Django: Teamsters and turtles together! Come on, Teamsters and turtles together!

Movie Connections:

Edited from Trade Off (2000)

Soundtrack:

Signs

Excellent film that is well worth the time to see

As a member of the Seattle community for nearly 20 years I was here when the WTO protests happened and I found this movie to be extremely powerful. I paid close attention to the events as they occurred in 1999; I even took part in one of the later protests outside a King County Courthouse/Jail. This film uses fictional characters to give perspective on the events both for legal and entertainment reasons and the result is amazing. I watched this film as part of the opening night celebration for the Seattle International Film Festival with nearly 3000 other Seattle area residents and the response was simply astounding. Afterwards in both the Q&A session with the director and part of the cast and the party following, I had the opportunity to hear from some others who were involved in the WTO incidents and no one voiced any disappointment with the way the film handled the issues. I would encourage everyone to see this film as soon as possible; American release is scheduled for September 2008 and I'm sure international release dates will be around the same time.