Battle in Seattle

Irish actor Stuart Townsend makes his directorial debut with Battle in Seattle, a multi-character recreation of five tumultuous days in 1999 when all eyes were on the Emerald City during the World Trade Organization's ill-fated U.S. conference. Although the narrative structure recalls Crash and Babel, Townsend intensifies the docudrama's sense of verisimilitude through well-integrated archival footage. Battle in Seattle opens with the arrival of a group of anti-globalization activists, led by Jay (Martin Henderson), whose compatriots include Lou (Michelle Rodriguez) and Django (Outkast's André “3000” Benjamin). As fictional Mayor Jim Tobin (Ray Liotta) tries to maintain order, TV news reporter Jean (Connie Nielsen) strives for objectivity, police officer Dale (Woody Harrelson) attempts to carry out the mayor's orders, and Dale's pregnant wife Ella (Charlize Theron, Townsend's real-life girlfriend) just hopes to make it home in one piece after getting stuck downtown at the height of the skirmish. Inspired by Paul Greengrass' Bloody Sunday and Haskell Wexler's Medium Cool, Townsend's Battle in Seattle (which was mostly shot in Vancouver, B.C.) presents a more balanced view than most accounts, even if the filmmaker ultimately—and understandably—sides with the serious peaceful protesters and passionate Third World representatives. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)