The Corporation
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Eye-opening docu on corporate power is timely, provocative.
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The Corporation
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What's the Story?
In the 19th century, after the Civil War, the Supreme Court used the same amendment that outlawed slavery as justification to declare corporations to be "people." This 2003 documentary posits that if corporations are people, then their behavior most closely mirrors the behavior of psychopaths. The personal, societal, and environmental effects of the unchecked power of multinational corporations are discussed in great detail, as are their attempts to control people's access to information and to privatize resources such as water and even life itself. The history and growth of corporations also is detailed, as are the struggles of those who have attempted to fight their outsize influence.
Is It Any Good?
THE CORPORATION is a must-see documentary for anyone concerned about the enormous influence of multinational corporations on just about every facet of our existence. Sweatshops, child labor, environmental destruction, product marketing to children, the limiting of people's access to information, and the privatization of the most fundamental resources -- and even the most basic building blocks of life itself -- are discussed in great detail, as are how brands are marketed to children and the sometimes shocking history of many corporations' relentless pursuit of profit and "the bottom line."
Though clearly on the side of those who see corporations as monstrous entities destroying the planet, The Corporation does present the viewpoints of those who disagree with the central premises of the documentary. It also is not all doom and gloom; people from all over the planet concerned about the effects of corporations on their communities and resources talk of their successes in standing up to powerful multibillion-dollar interests. Since its release in 2003, The Corporation remains as relevant (if not more so) today as when it was first released.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about viewpoints and opinions in documentaries. What message were these filmmakers trying to communicate about corporations? Did they allow other viewpoints and opinions that differed from their own?
How would this documentary have been different had it been made by those who believe corporations are a positive outgrowth of the free enterprise system that improve the lives of those who work for them?
This documentary was released in 2003. Since that time, would you say that corporate power and influence have increased or lessened?
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 15, 2003
- On DVD or streaming: April 5, 2005
- Cast: Noam Chomsky , Milton Friedman , Jane Akre
- Director: Mark Achbar
- Studio: Zeitgeist Films
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models , History
- Run time: 145 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 1, 2022
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