Powaqqatsi
Cannon Film Distributors | Release Date: April 29, 1988 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
6
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Portland OregonianTed Mahar
Godfrey Reggio's Powaqqatsi is just like his Koyaanisqatsi, only different. Its dreamlike mix of forceful imagery and Philip Glass' surging, unique music is the same, but the dream is different, and Reggio uses different techniques to incarnate it. [08 Jul 1988, p.F13]
75
Slant MagazineChuck Bowen
In Powaqqatsi, Reggio addresses the impoverished inhabitants of the southern hemisphere that are exploited in order to power the Metropolis-like nightmare that he made of American society in Koyaanisqatsi, and it has a stunning opening. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineEd Gonzalez
Powaqqatsi is every bit as viscerally engaging though less provocative than its predecessor. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesMichael Wilmington
Godfrey Reggio’s Powaqqatsi, like his earlier “Koyaanisqatsi,” is a lyrical documentary that turns the instruments of technology against it. In some ways, the new film is less effective, but it’s also more visually spectacular: a mesmerizing cascade of sensuous sights and sounds. Read full review
70
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
Powaqqatsi, which is the second part of a planned trilogy, reaffirms Mr. Reggio's diligence and sincerity, though it does not signficantly advance his achievement. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
The second film seems less purposeful: The shots of squalor and industrialization-run-amok have an almost random feel. At times, however, it's still incredibly powerful. Read full review
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