Virunga Netflix Movie Review

Virunga (2014) 

Virunga - Selfless, brave, inspiring.

Watch Virunga 
Written by: Orlando von Einsiedel
Directed by: Orlando von Einsiedel
Starring: André Bauma, Emmanuel de Merode, Mélanie Gouby
Rated: NR

Plot:
A documentary about the park rangers protecting the Virunga National Park in the eastern Congo jungle, home to the last of the remaining mountain Gorillas. The rangers face not only poachers and rebels, but an oil company too.

Verdict:
Virunga is amazing. Nearly every image is astonishing and the dedication of the rangers is apparent in every frame. Seeing gorillas maimed and elephants mutilated for their tusks is traumatizing, but then to see an oil company disregard not only the environment, but the law is a greater travesty. The rangers in this movie are awe inspiring.
Watch it.

Review:
Wow. Virunga provides a brief glimpse into how politics, corporations, the environment, and human beings are interconnected. The oil company can't believe men would risk their life for gorillas and the environment, bribing the rebels to pave the way for illegal drilling in the Congo jungle.
In one of the very first scenes we realize a park ranger in the Congo isn't like a park ranger in the United States. In the Congo, they carry rocket launchers.
The scenery is breathtaking, showcasing amazing images and bolstered by good archive footage.
The rangers and caretakers are earnest in their dedication to the land and the animals. It's apparent in the interviews, lending credence to the film. The rangers know they may die, aware of how many have died before them.
An oil company comes in, and despite how drilling in the jungle is illegal, they set up structures and distribute bribes. If the rebels who are preparing to take over the city don't get the rangers, they oil company might.
The selflessness of the rangers. protecting animals and their country is inspiring. It becomes a war documentary as the rebels take over the city. Tanks crawl down street, and inhabitants flee by vehicle or foot. The rangers distribute arms and ammunition, ready to defend the station.  rebels coming in and taking over the city. The text crawl at the end, updating the viewer on what has happened since is heartbreaking. Though it provides a glimmer of hope, it's apparent big corporations can't be stopped. The environment and all the species that inhabit it, will never be safe.