The defence The Auteur Devotee
“Ambition earns the room.”
The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.
Back to trending 
Powaqqatsi
Documentary · 1988
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
Movie details
Powaqqatsi
“Life in transformation”
1988 Documentary 1h 40m
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
7.2 / 10
9K votes
Rotten Tomatoes
56 %
Tomatometer
TMDB
7.3 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Powaqqatsi?
For the defence
The Auteur Devotee
“You watch the director, not the movie.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Godfrey Reggio
Written by
Godfrey Reggio · Ken Richards
Christie Brinkley
(archive footage)
David Brinkley
(archive footage)
P
Patrick Disanto
Self
Pope John Paul II
(archive footage)
Dan Rather
(archive footage)
Cheryl Tiegs
(archive footage)
Court is in session
Put Powaqqatsi on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Importance has entered the chat.”
The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.