Watermark
Entertainment One | Release Date: April 4, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
68
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
7
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranApr 17, 2014
If Watermark does nothing else, it will make you question society's contradictory view of water use. Read full review
90
VarietyPeter DebrugeApr 4, 2014
Despite the staggering range of material Watermark manages to present — Burtynsky’s five-year undertaking is certainly the most encompassing survey any one artist has ever dedicated to the subject — it’s still just the tip of the metaphorical iceberg. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternApr 17, 2014
Here's a case of images in the service of important ideas, rather than entertainment, yet they could hardly be more powerful, from roaring torrents released by a dam in China to a lyrical helicopter shot of a glistening river in British Columbia. Read full review
80
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisApr 3, 2014
Always arresting and sometimes troubling, Watermark — aside from the odd comment here and there — neither lectures nor argues. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoApr 18, 2014
The documentary Watermark is close to the cinematic equivalent of a coffee-table book. It relies heavily on visuals and offers minimal context. The project has a pro-environment feeling, which comes across implicitly, not through browbeating or preaching. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTy BurrApr 10, 2014
Watermark feels less focused than “Manufactured Landscapes.” While it presents us with awful and/or awe-inspiring images and ideas, the movie lacks the tightening grip that made the earlier work so unforgettable. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaMar 31, 2014
By keeping explanatory talking-heads interviews to a minimum, the filmmakers put their trust in the audience to draw their own conclusions based on what they present to us. Read full review
60
The GuardianMike McCahillSep 22, 2014
It’s not as focused as its predecessor, but its best sequences rehydrate the mind. Read full review
60
EmpirePatrick PetersSep 1, 2014
Beautiful to look at but lacking a strong point. Read full review
60
The DissolveMike D'AngeloApr 2, 2014
There’s a difference between an exhibition of one photographer’s work and a speedy tour of a museum’s entire photography wing, and Watermark feels more like the latter, despite Burtynsky’s involvement. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubNick SchagerApr 4, 2014
Unfortunately, while the documentary’s points are clear, its desire to articulate them primarily through contrasts neuters some of its persuasiveness. Read full review
50
Washington PostStephanie MerryApr 10, 2014
It’s as if the movie’s many pieces are supposed to be like impressionistic brush strokes. When seen together, the result is pretty to look at. But it’s not as meaningful as it should be. Read full review
50
Village VoiceChuck WilsonApr 1, 2014
Watermark is a documentary filled with images both beautiful and wrenching, yet the film as a whole is a disappointment. Read full review
40
Arizona RepublicRandy CordovaMay 1, 2014
Although the visuals are spectacular — a barren Colorado River looks like a landscape from a science-fiction epic — there's not much else here to grab on. Read full review
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