That was an excellent one.

Don't Believe the Hype

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Promoted and supported by Patagonia, DamNation takes an in depth look at an environmental issue which few Americans are aware of. This environmental documentary explores the importance of dams with reference to their history in America, influence on culture, impact on the environment, importance to agriculture, and energy efficiency. The main environmental issue concerning dams which is discussed throughout the film is the impact of dams on salmon spawning, America's response to salmon spawning with fish hatcheries, and the conservational inefficiency of (and harm caused by) fish hatcheries. The film also looks at the history of government funded dam construction and cultural backlash and call for dam removal. Not only have dams destroyed salmon spawning routs, but also flooded areas of incredible beauty and of immense cultural and historical importance to Native Americans. DamNation bring to light the hypocrisy and corruption behind the construction and maintenance of many major dams on rivers such as the Snake and Colorado. Released in 2014, this powerful and visually stunning documentary calls for major revisions and reevaluations of the value of all dams in the US. DamNation does a great job presenting the several different, complex issues surrounding dams in America, however it is biased. The film takes the effort to interview dam workers and hydro power supporters; however, the film mostly focuses on the negative effects of dams and why removal necessary. DamNation is considered both a documentary and adventure film. Documentaries often struggle to maintain the interest of the audience but DamNation is not just able to entertain the audience with action and visually beautiful shots, but also inspire them stand on environmental issues and to enjoy the outdoors. I would recommend this film to all young adults and anyone interested in environmental issues.

Excellent documentary. From the beginning of this film, the history and juxtaposition of MAN vs. Nature is present. The cinematography and the use if imagery by the videographer is impeccable and bold. The narration is wonderful and the interviews are actually very well done and humorous. The non-censored and comical yet serious nature of the narration really gives the film the added push, thanks to Ben Knight, director.The film generates awareness and also captures these brilliant yet detrimental accomplishments of man; and goes to show the areas affected by this phenomenon. The takeaway message is: "take away the dams that are not useful". Find me someone that disagree's with this statement and i'll show you an individual that has not seen this film.

I'm a bit of a hybrid Republican. I grew up in California and was a child in the late 1960's and early 70's which gave me a strong appreciation for nature. Later, the business influence of my family and where I ended up career-wise had me understand how business operates. However, it never impacted my love of nature and its wonders. This documentary exposed a lot of critical information we don't normally receive from the mainstream (no pun intended) media. I had no idea we have so many dams in the USA! To see that some were made close to each other along the same waterway was shocking! As I saw the map of their placement all that ran through my mind was, "What where the planners thinking?!" I see this as a business opportunity for more windmills to be placed in desert areas where little life exists and minimal environmental impact is realized. Then, every single dam that does not include flood control and fish passages (https://www.nwcouncil.org/history/FishPassage) in its operations can be on the chopping block for closure and tear down. As a nation, we went way too far. I challenge the documentary team to post a list of dams they find acceptable that maintain human life still function well with nature. From my perception, not all dams are bad but after watching this, I know now that many should have never been built. For those who care about this subject, there are several times when you will get emotional. When you will understand the beauty and ecology of an area that ended up devastated after a dams was built, it can hit you in the gut. You will see native cultures that were damaged by the negative impact on the land which they so passionately love and shared with nature. The emotional loss is like losing a loved one. I'm grateful this documentary was made and showed a passion for sharing information without being pushy about it. If you end up 50% as passionate as the documentary team, you will be able to make a difference.

I was really surprised that I enjoyed this documentary so much. The information about our nation's abundance of damns, and the negative environmental impact they have had on the landscape and the indigenous wildlife was shocking to hear and see. Perhaps in the world of environmentalists this is common knowledge, but for a person not entrenched in the cause, like me, it was a compelling argument to learn more about the subject and to get more involved. The cinematography is a highlight of the film, and the information is delivered in a manner that kept me interested the whole time. This is definitely a film worth checking out.