The Corporation on DVD (2004)

Bloated tabloid tosh

RJTaylor from London , 29/05/2007

If you're looking for an incisive, intelligent documentary on the disasters that can be caused by big business, watch Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. This film, on the other hand, is confused, contradictory, bloated, (weighing in at a whopping 2h 21m,) and has no real points to make. It runs around, wildly pointing the finger at anyone and everyone in big business who has, in the past, taken part in some dubious practices, which makes for lots of easy targets because that's pretty much everyone. It cops out and chooses this route rather than attempt to make any constructive suggestions as to how industry can realistically move forward without us all losing our jobs, (don't forget that even if you don't work for a big corporation, most of your cash will still probably come from one or more somewhere up the line,) strong economies becoming weakened and everyone going back to living in shacks. (Remember Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge pals? Their working co-operative ideas didn't work out so well, did they?)

Scratch the surface of this film, beyond some sickeningly abused visuals used solely for emotional effect, (the woman in audience seen gulping during big meeting almost certainly didn't happen at the point it was shown; excessive use of concentration camp footage,) and The Corporation holds no more credibility than the cheesy corporate identity ads put out by those they are trying to discredit. Amateur journalism at its worst.

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Institutions recognised as 'individuals' can trample the globe like giants.

Nigel Stafford from England , 16/05/2005

For all the dirt it exposes, this documentary is rather impassive. Objective, this is no Michael Moore documentary with laughter and shock, but an academic presentation of the most recent information and viewpoints on corporations -- from right across the spectrum from CEOs to Activists. Based on the book, The Corporation: the Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power, this is a great movie for those interested in such material - every fact is here; every face is here; they all have their say - and they say surprisingly about the same thing - that Corporations are amoral entities. Many of us know this - but in the broad amoral spectrum -- this film illustrates in chilling details - how much they favors on the side of the unethical rather than the ethical. Who should be held accountable for these institutions that are recognised as 'individuals' and therefore trample the globe like giants.

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Makes Michael Moore look amateur

honeymonster from Avon , 17/02/2005

Taking the doc'u'film to an entire new level The Corporation makes everything that has gone before look amateur. Distilled from an original three part TV documentary, the film follows the rise and rise of the western corporation into the world consuming beasts they currently are.

Whilst seeming utterly neutral in its approach The Corporation puts across a devastatingly stark analysis of international corporations as they now stand and how they will continue to function. It's a horrifically bleak and uncompromising look at how modern international business functions including interviews from ex and current CEOs.

It's long viewing but worth every minute.

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Corporations and social responsibility

McClennan from St Helens , 23/04/2005

First rate, award winning, documentary that looks at the corporation, from its first appearance in pre-industrial revolution England, through to the multinationals of today. Featuring appearances from across the political spectrum, the film presents what I would consider to be a balanced, well thought out discussion surrounding the corporation's role in today's society. Milton Friedman, Michael Moore, Noam Chomsky, Samuel Epstein, Naomi Klein and Robert Monks make this essential viewing for anyone who takes an interest in the politics of business and society, be you from the left or right side of the spectrum. Despite the inclusion of some hardcore lefties the film never dares to suggest that business/capitalism is evil and for that reason I think any viewer who has gotten involved in economic discussions would enjoy this film.

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Well argued, intelligent, clear, rational and brilliant

Paul Gregson-Allcott from Leeds, UK [Highly rated reviewer] , 09/03/2006

I began watching this and nearly turned off after 10 minutes because it felt like a lecture from a dull business seminar. However, you begin to realise that you are being educated about business for a reason - to understand it - and the revelations then begin to come thick and fast. This is the best of its kind, it thrashes people like Naomi Klein and Michael Moore into the shade with a well-reasoned argument that is unavoidably correct in its denunciation of corporations whilst showing us that the only people who can stop them are us, the buying public. eat this, sleep this, but for God's sake, watch it. The extra's disc is also full of extra info and well worth a gander - more fact-packed than a BBC documentary!

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Frighteningly bad how McD could be Ted Bundy!

Nadiestar from Ruislip, Middlesex [Highly rated reviewer] , 06/06/2006

Wow! Its amazing to think how big business has taken over all aspects of our lives and now lives in our counter culture. Who would have thought that when the 14th Amendment was brought in to protect the rights of freed black slaves that corporations would leap on this and use it to their own advantage.Turning your company from a group of people into a person with rights is pretty amazing to get away with but not as amazing as the way the corporations polute and rape the planet with no regard for the people in or on it. When you learn that corporations display all the signs of a Psycopath then we all should be worried. You put your trust in them, pay your hard earned wages to them to buy their products and they pay poor people pennies to make the item they have charged you hundreds of pounds for. They won't even let in people to check on the work environments of these down trodden people often firing them with out any valid reason leaving them even more destitute, Its like something from a Dickensien novel and frightening to think that it still happens today in the 21st centuary! It certainly has opened my eyes and i shall think long and hard over who gets my support and my hard earned money. Do watch this film if only to open your eyes!

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