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Jane Akre, Raymond L. Anderson, Joe Badaracco, Maude Barlow, Mark Barry ... see more see more... , Elain Bernard , Edwin Black , Carlton Brown , Christopher Barrett , Luke McCabe , Peter Drucker , Dr. Samuel Epstein , Andrea Finger , Milton Friedman , Sam Gibara , Dr. Richard Grossman , Dr. Robert Hare , Gabriel Herbas , Lucy Hughes , Ira Jackson , Charles Kernaghan , Robert Keyes , Mark Kingwell , Tom Kline , Chris Komisarjevsky , Dr. Susan Linn , Robert Monks , Mark Moody-Stuart , Oscar Olivera , Jonathon Ressler , Jeremy Rifkin , Anita Roddick , Dr. Vandana Shiva , Clay Timon , Michael Walker , Robert Weissman , S.S. Wilson , Irving Wladawsky-Berger , Mary Zepernick , Howard Zinn , Mikela J Mikael , Michael Moore , Noam Chomsky , Naomi Klein

In the mid-1800s, corporations began to be recognized as individuals by U.S. courts, granting them unprecedented rights. The Corporation, a documentary by filmmakers Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott an... read more read more...d author Joel Bakan, delves into that legal standard, essentially asking: if corporations were people, what kind of people would they be? Applying psychiatric principles and FBI forensic techniques, and through a series of case studies, the film determines that this entity, the corporation, which has an increasing power over the day-to-day existence of nearly every living creature on earth, would be a psychopath. The case studies include a story about how two reporters were fired from Fox News for refusing to soft-pedal a story about the dangers of a Monsanto product given to dairy cows, and another about Bolivian workers who banded together to defend their rights to their own water supply. The pervasiveness of corporate influence on our lives is explored through an examination of efforts to influence behavior, including that of children. The filmmakers interview leftist figures like Michael Moore, Howard Zinn, Naomi Klein, and Noam Chomsky, and give representatives from companies Burson Marsteller, Disney, Pfizer, and Initiative Media a chance to relay their own points-of-view. The Corporation won the Best Documentary World Cinema Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Flixster Users

88% liked it

21,572 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

107 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott

Release Date: April 23, 2004

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DVD Release Date: April 5, 2005

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Stats: 1,565 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,565)

  • brooklynspo
    July 7, 2007
    brooklynspo
    Shocking, effective, leftist, snarky and entertaining Canadian.
  • kenstachnik
    April 4, 2011
    kenstachnik
    This movie will infuriate you, no matter which side of the debate you're on.
  • wildaly14
    February 4, 2011
    wildaly14
    A well-made eye-opener documentary.
  • Gx7
    September 19, 2010
    Gx7
    Recommended
  • SirPant
    September 24, 2009
    SirPant
    Informative and funny. It?s an important film but it does drag a bit towards the end!
  • drago25
    January 11, 2008
    drago25
    This is one of those rare, truly excellent documentaries that come around every once in a while that is utterly enrapturing and worthy of multiple viewings. The Corporation is exactly what it sounds like it would be: an examination of what we know as the "corporation". The film t... read moreackles the issue effectively from every angle; from establishing a clear understanding of what the corporation is, what it does, what powers it has or can have, and the impact is has had and is having on our world. Told through the intermingling of interviews with professionals on the subject (including some CEOs of corporations) and stock footage, along with some really clever editing and expert craftsmanship. Especially powerful is the segments with the CEO of the world's largest carpet manufacturer (his name escapes me) who has been part of the corporate world for a long time, and had an epiphany where he realized how his company, and others like his, are impacting the world around them by following the rules of the corporation strictly (as the film clearly defines, corporations are essentially required by law to maximize profit for their shareholders and ignore the implications of their reckless profiting), and he actively works to make a difference while continuing to head his company but with a new consideration for the world around him. This is simply a fantastic documentary, right up there with the best of them I've seen. A must-watch for everyone.
  • MidnightMadwoman
    December 6, 2007
    MidnightMadwoman
    Watching this may make you sick, but it is important to see. Did you know that corporations count as people under the law? Neither did I until I saw this. It's creepy to see the extent to which laws are perverted and bent to accomodate the odious acts of greed that these 'people'... read more pull off. It's not nice to see, but it's good to know.
  • MovieGeek13
    April 12, 2007
    MovieGeek13
    A real powerhouse of a documentary that often provides disturbing insight into what corporations do.
  • gator681
    January 30, 2006
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]"The Corporation" is an informative documentary about the past, the present and possibly the future - if we have one - of the corporation. By using case studies, the movie proves that infamous corporations such as Walmart and Enron are not exceptions to the ... read morerule; they are the rule. It uses talking heads - some familiar like Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Naomi Klein and Michael Moore - but also some less so which helps because these latter people(occasionally inside men) shed more light on corporate malfeasance. If the documentary has a fault, it is that there is too much information to cover in a feature film. [/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]I first heard about multinational corporations almost 20 years ago in college. The whole idea of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders. It is unscrupulous in its means and will often harm workers, customers, the environment while only making token efforts towards charity. Capitalism is shown not to help democracy because corporations prefer working with dictatorships which control the citizenry. This is especially true where companies exploit sweatshops in the Third World for cheaper products. The most egregious example of this was IBM working with the Nazis during World War II. [/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]There are signs of resistance, though. In several Latin American countries, lefitst and socialist candidates have been able to win presidential elections. On a smaller scale, we can organize into cooperatives. Overall, we have to work together to show how prices and wages are tied together. [/font]
  • BlueTorch
    May 21, 2006
    BlueTorch
    The subject matter is fascinating, the film is gripping, but it is unnecessarily long.

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Critic Reviews

Roger Moore
October 29, 2004
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

A history lesson, a warning shot and damning personality profile, all backed up with expert interviews. Full Review

Eric Harrison
September 17, 2004
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle

The rare movie that sets out to alter the audience's consciousness -- and succeeds. Full Review

Bill Muller
September 16, 2004
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

This documentary's extra-long running time and a narrator who sounds like a sedated Star Trek computer won't win many converts. Full Review

Bob Longino
August 19, 2004
Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This is a movie that will make you think. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
July 30, 2004
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Sharp-witted, infuriating and at times depressing. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
July 23, 2004
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

A highly entertaining and instructive look at a subject that's rarely discussed in detail. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
July 23, 2004
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

Very well informed about the legal origins of corporations and their current near omnipotence. Full Review

Chris Vognar
July 22, 2004
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

Snappy and visually spry, with a treasure trove of vintage instructional and industrial film clips, this is an urgent, overlong (more than two hours) work that delivers a timely message about the time... Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
July 16, 2004
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

If you care about the environment, workers' rights, your own health and your children's future, you need to see this film. Full Review

Stephen Hunter
July 16, 2004
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

This is another unhelpful screed, uncontaminated by sense or perspective, that preaches loudly to the choir. Full Review

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