Poisoning Paradise: Ecocide New Zealand (2009)

So much average

Overrated

Best movie of this year hands down!

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

There is a lot in this "documentary" which is not backed up by peer- reviewed science or even a simple google search. I have offered 1/10 for it's imagination and the effort that the film makers went to. The greatest deduction of points is the misrepresentation of facts and public attitude. The score was below average, editing was average. Lighting and effects were poor at best. It was however very emotive if not rich on credible content. The script is terrible: The opening sentence "...laced with a cruel and universally toxic poison, into its forest ecosystems" is opinionated and uses superfluous words (we know a forest is an ecosystem; we know poison is toxic and it's location doesn't generally make a lot of difference). It is not written by someone interested in presenting facts. Poisoning Paradise is misleading and could lead to endangering the environment and unfairly staining NZ's reputation. Perhaps the scientists that have worked with 1080 should have been interviewed... there is a distinct lack of professionals that work in the industry. Even the charts in this film are misleading - one showing by-kill only goes up to 50% so the bars look huge on it, but it is literally only part of the picture. Why is there a Doctor of Maths/MD discussing ecology... surely if 1080 was so bad the film-makers could find one ecologist to interview and agree with their opinion? Where was any information on why the DoC/OSPRI want to control introduced mammals? Where was the information on the effects introduced mammals have on the environment and agriculture? Where was the information on the net benefits of 1080 use in NZ? I do feel for the people that have lost mammalian pets and livestock to this poison, but it does not represent what is happening to native populations of animals and plants in the New Zealand forests. The "awards" that this film has been 'given' don't stack up either. They're from film festivals that awarded every film with something and which no audience actually attended... Only one film award that Poisoning Paradise has received is genuine, that's the coveted 'Bent Spoon Award' given by NZ Skeptics.Anyone wanting to watch this documentary needs to do so with a huge grain of salt.

Poisoning Paradise informs regarding the use of 1080 poison, an issue that is extremely important, yet almost unheard of by the general public. Animals are suffering inhumane death, the environment is being poisoned "from earthworms to elephants", Millions of dollars are being spent yet this 'control' strategy does not work!The Graf Bros trace the use of the poisons across the landscape and deal with confronting images and information in a sensitive manner, considering how totally shocking the results of the poison actually are.The locations are beautiful, the persons who provide information are well spoken. I recommend this film to every person who cares about wildlife and our environment. Hopefully, that includes nearly every person on the planet!

A very passionate (but the how can it not be with a influential, controlling and biased public control group or "DOC" as the counter argument) viewpoint of the main control New Zealand uses for pest problems in the Native Bush.This documentary aims to increase awareness and knowledge of a very concerning practice in New Zealand - the dispersion of 1080 poison. I agree with the righteousness and the argument put impressed by the producers and activists in the doco so much that after watching this my attitude that my attitude was "1080 kills everything" now it is "1080s killing New Zealand, we are paying for it and the information is unattested independently" There are a range of subjects that lack real coverage such as alternative control measure, real details on "Pipe Dreams" or real hopes that New Zealanders have for the future. I am trying to say the film takes a pessimistic viewpoint of the subject to get people to take a "This is not OK standpoint" and should be watched with a questioning mind to dissuade any perceptions impressed upon the viewer.