Exterminate All the Brutes
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 7, 2021
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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Critic Reviews

  1. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Mike Hale
    Apr 6, 2021
    60
    In his attempt to replace the traditional narratives about Indigenous and other oppressed peoples with his own storytelling, though, some strategies are less successful than others. ... Peck’s documentary is more polemical and less poetic than [Chris Marker’s “Sans Soleil”]; it constantly makes connections, but it feels more didactic than complex, more academic than allusive.
  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Chris Vognar
    Apr 7, 2021
    50
    “Exterminate All the Brutes” is a dense collage of ideas, words and images that doesn’t mind circling back to a previously made point. Were it on the page, rather than the screen, you might marvel at its audacity while at the same time wishing for a tighter edit. It moves, thanks largely to the savvy media criticism provided by the movie clips, but it’s in absolutely no hurry to get anywhere.

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best TV Season of 2021
52
#52 Most Discussed TV Season of 2021

User Reviews

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User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 40 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 40
  3. Negative: 19 out of 40
  1. HaVoK308
    Apr 7, 2021
    0
    Complete and utter racist trash. Unbelievable level of revisionist history. The definition of clown world. We are in the upside down.
  2. GamingUnites
    Apr 11, 2021
    3
    Whilst this 'documentary' (it's more of an opinion piece) crams many different parts of history into its episodes, it's unfortunately soWhilst this 'documentary' (it's more of an opinion piece) crams many different parts of history into its episodes, it's unfortunately so hell-bent on constant, extreme vilification of Europe that it loses its ways on several occasions. It leads to the author contradicting himself, ignoring huge swathes of the global population and takes away the individuality and agency of pretty much everyone.

    For example, he claims that early white populations were uncivilised and stupid but later says their superiority over the sub-Saharan nations was due to their ingenuity and advanced culture.

    He tries to lead us to believe that persecutors and victims alike are simply helpless against fate and the happenstance of geographical features; the lands are ancestors originated in. This implies that we're all victims of chance and takes away the notion we are free-thinking and self-governing as a species.

    Throughout all this, he cheerfully ignores the advanced civilisations that were present in Asia, the Middle-East AND Northern Africa that also exploited 'Black' Africa, instead focusing solely on 'white' people - presumably because they are the focus of his ire and the only real message is 'white people are evil'.

    It's hard to take a documentary that ignores so much of the world and its contribution to advanced technologies seriously.

    Lastly, he belabors points over and over, using unnecessary melodrama and grim voice overs. It's more like propaganda than academic research. For example, he'll espouse gravitas laden quotes such as, 'There are no alternate facts' even though it's mostly highly arguable opinions he's giving us. It's as if he feels the quotes mean something in and of themselves simply because they're so solemn sounding.

    Simply put, this is a guilt-filled, middle-class white persons wet-dream of a documentary and will no doubt be praised to high heaven by the vast majority of critics and prove immensely popular among the young in particular. In a sense, it's the Emperor's New Clothes of documentaries; there's nothing to see here really but it'll be fashionable to cheer and applaud it like mad.

    Oh, and he seems to really, REALLY dislike the Scots & the Irish.    … Full Review »
  3. OlivierPiel
    Apr 11, 2021
    0
    Utterly simplistic and disgustingly sanctimonious. And quite simply as racist, if not more, as the people "the West" he accuses. To claim thatUtterly simplistic and disgustingly sanctimonious. And quite simply as racist, if not more, as the people "the West" he accuses. To claim that white people have an ingrained sense of destruction is as dumb as to say black people can dance or jump higher than others.
    Rather, the explanation lies in simple demographics and -shared- natural, human, all too human as Friedrich would say, instincts that we see in apes and other species, the will to power.

    Gengis Khan, Oda Nobunaga, Idi Amin Dada, Pol Pot, Ayatholla Khomeini were not white, so they were OK I guess? The Incas and the Mayans used torture as mass entertainment, cool bruh? Muslim enslaved Africa and Europeans way before the salve trade! Oh fun fact, the ethnic "Slav" (people of Eastern Europe) is what gave the name slaves! You know white people, with blond hair!    … Full Review »
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