"Its November 1999, and five days are about to rock the world as tens of thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Seattle in protest of the World Trade Organizations Ministerial Meeting. Among them are Django (Andre Benjamin), Sam (Jennifer Carpenter), Lou (Michelle Rodriguez) and Jay (Martin Henderson). Each has a unique story, but they're united in a common desire to be heard and to make a difference in the world. For these four protesters, this is very personal and the stakes are higher than mere politics."
Battle in Seattle is perhaps one of the most radical Hollywood movies I've ever seen. How this ever got made is beyond me as it overtly political in a way that mainstream movies almost never are. The fact that it has a budget greater than Tom Cruise's catering tab and stars actors who you've heard of (Charlize Theron, Ray Liotta, Woody Harrelson) makes the film all more unusual.
Having seen the riots in Greece in December and January and witnessed first hand what happens when demonstrations turn violent I would say that the film captures the energy and sense of being in such a situation accurately. It reminds me of the style and approach of the Battle of Algiers and Bloody Sunday in the sense that it mixes documentary and movie making aesthetics.
Also Battle in Seattle also deals with issues such as the role of the media in portraying such events, police violence and the use of agent provocateurs in protests.
To find out more about the background to the movie check out;
Battle in Seattle (film) - Wiki
30 Frames a Second - The WTO in Seattle
World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity - Wiki
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