Chasing Ice

PG-13

Released Nov 9, 2012

1 hr. 14 min.

Documentary

Biography

List

96%

71 Reviews

Tomatometer

85%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

James Balog and his team on the Extreme Ice Survey assemble a multiyear chronicle of the planet's rapidly melting glaciers.

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Critics Consensus

Chasing Ice captures the urgency of climate change while prevailing as entertainment, thanks the awe-inspiring scenery and James Balog's charisma.

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Kyle M

Presented to the public ten years ago, and the beautiful imagery provides stunning realization backed up with thorough intelligence perfectly wording the layout of the natural events, becoming one of the most astonishing documentaries, as well most essential as it spreads messages we need to be more aware of with enough content to challenge naysayers. There are couple of angles it could've expanded for wholesome factual coverage, but their specialized field is more observingly grounded under simplicity that connects to how we would normally approach without any scientific visualizations being theoretically dramatized, and what they captured is the best imagery that needed to be seen to believe. (A)

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The documentary was great, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was very fascinating and interesting experiencing this journey through the Arctic. The beautiful shots of the environments and gorgeous landscapes further cement the importance of the message. The documentary's message being that the earth is changing, and that climate change, or global warming, is affecting our home in ways that will irreversible if left alone.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The message of this documentary was all steered in the direction in which climate change is real! A man set with his team are on a quest to bring into reality the core effects of climate change- immersing the audience with him and his crew through the tumultuous adventure. This commitment is done and overachieved after major setbacks over a timespan of almost 5 years showing visual evidence of the ice caps receding. The key human characters are James Balog, the scientist/photographer with the idea to record the ice, as well as his team who dedicated their skills and time to the goal. A concept that plays a role in the documentary is climate change. The overall "star" of this program is the ice caps recorded- also acting as the definite protagonist. The antagonist of this program is not named but can possibly be thought to be the disasters and human involvement that is speeding the process of destroying the ice caps.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

7/10. Climate change / Global warming is real.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a vital documentary but the problem is really this is a 20min Youtube documentary, not a feature length film. As a result much of the middle section of the film becomes about James Balog (and his knee! God, I don't care about his knee!). It must not detract from the message but purely as a film it just doesn't engross you.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Important and impressive film but should've shown a lot more of the time-lapse material the whole film is about.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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Jeff Orlowski-Yang

Director

James Woolsey

Actor

James Balog

Actor

Louie Psihoyos

Actor

Jeff Orlowski-Yang

Actor

Synte Peacock

Actor

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Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

True, there's no blood this time around, no gruesome images of dolphins dying, but it could be argued that the supernaturally beautiful images that Balog (and, by extension, Orlowski) captures are even more despairing and alarming...

Mar 25, 2020

Full Review

Brad Newsome

Sydney Morning Herald

[A] spectacular but depressing documentary.

Oct 31, 2018

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

If seeing equals believing, then this film's documentation ought to sway the world. But daredevil heroes and sexy screen goddesses probably help the medicine go down.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 15, 2013

Full Review

Jordan M. Smith

IONCINEMA.com

The doc is obviously a big screen advocacy spotlight for the project, but it is also a fascinating portrait of a man infatuated with nature, photography, and their combined ability to affect people in spellbinding ways.

Feb 9, 2020

Full Review

Daniel Green

CineVue

Orlowski's soulful direction, coupled with Balog's evocative eye, predictably leads to a number of awe-inspiring juxtapositions, best sampled on the big screen.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 6, 2019

Full Review

Matt Neal

ABC Radio (Australia)

Orlowski's documentary is brilliant because of the wondrous way it shows a worldwide story and a personal one at the same time.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 29, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

James Balog and his team on the Extreme Ice Survey assemble a multiyear chronicle of the planet's rapidly melting glaciers.

Director: Jeff Orlowski-Yang
Executive Producer: David J. Cornfield, Linda A. Cornfield
Screenwriter: Mark Monroe
Distributor: Submarine Deluxe
Production Co: Exposure, Diamond Docs
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016

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