68
Metascore
14 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeDespite 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.
- 90Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranLos Angeles TimesKenneth TuranIf Watermark does nothing else, it will make you question society's contradictory view of water use.
- 80The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisAlways arresting and sometimes troubling, Watermark — aside from the odd comment here and there — neither lectures nor argues.
- 80Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternWall Street JournalJoe MorgensternHere'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.
- 75Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaSlant MagazineKenji FujishimaBy 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.
- 60The DissolveMike D'AngeloThe DissolveMike D'AngeloThere’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.
- 58The A.V. ClubNick SchagerThe A.V. ClubNick SchagerUnfortunately, while the documentary’s points are clear, its desire to articulate them primarily through contrasts neuters some of its persuasiveness.
- 50Village VoiceChuck WilsonVillage VoiceChuck WilsonWatermark is a documentary filled with images both beautiful and wrenching, yet the film as a whole is a disappointment.
- 50Washington PostStephanie MerryWashington PostStephanie MerryIt’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.