Blind Spot: Peak Oil & the Coming Global Crisis

Adolfo Doring's documentary discusses the proposition that the impending depletion of the world's supply of petroleum—just when demand is increasing due to rapid industrialization—will bring about a global social, economic, and political crisis. While the subject is unquestionably significant, Blind Spot is more likely to induce yawns rather than accelerated heart rates, since the film is essentially a string of talking-head comments from scientists and activists who describe a planet vastly altered over the past two centuries by an industrial revolution driven by dependence on fossil fuels. The interviewees further argue that despite corporate efforts to lull the public into a false sense of security (coupled with government failure to educate the people), it will soon become apparent that the situation is unsustainable because oil production is peaking. The loss of petroleum—and all of its myriad plastic products—would have a devastating effect not only on the status quo but the human race in general. While one can appreciate the filmmakers' efforts to avoid sensationalizing the topic, Blind Spot suffers from so much repetition that it's easy to tune out the message altogether. A better choice here would be A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash (VL-11/07). Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)