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The Ivory Game

Play trailer 1:42 Poster for The Ivory Game 2016 1h 52m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Ivory is a prized status symbol for middle-class Chinese, and poachers in pursuit of white gold are slaughtering African elephants in record numbers. Filmmakers went under cover for 16 months, infiltrating and documenting the deep-rooted corruption at the heart of the global ivory trafficking crisis.
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The Ivory Game

The Ivory Game

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Critics Consensus

Hard-hitting and ambitious to a fault, The Ivory Game serves as a fittingly urgent call to action against a looming threat against vulnerable wildlife and a fragile ecosystem.

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Critics Reviews

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Christy Lemire RogerEbert.com A documentary that plays with the gripping pacing and glossy production values of a suspenseful, international thriller. Rated: 3/4 Nov 4, 2016 Full Review Ken Jaworowski New York Times While more information on the animals and their ecosystems is needed, the stakes described here are immense, as is the sorrow over majestic creatures massacred only so that their tusks can be made into baubles. Nov 3, 2016 Full Review Sheri Linden Los Angeles Times The cameras avoid the goriest angles of the mutilated animals, but the horror is amplified as the film moves from the savannas of Kenya and Tanzania to display windows in Hong Kong showcasing carved ivory curios. Nov 3, 2016 Full Review David Bax Battleship Pretension Davidson and Ladkani spend too much time manufacturing intrigue in The Ivory Game. Their lack of focus gives the impression of a lack of confidence. That's going to make it difficult to change anyone's mind. Jan 4, 2021 Full Review Jay Kuehner Cinema Scope It doesn't take an ethnography lab to unpack the vested power of a tusk, but perhaps a more rigorous empiricism (e.g., Farocki), while compromising box-office appeal, could better serve a more enduring agenda. Oct 10, 2017 Full Review Glenn Dunks The Film Experience ...more or less derailed by a slavish devotion to a cinematic format that it is not suited to. Rated: C+ Jan 3, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sajana P the most glued to the screen i have been for a doco Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/10/23 Full Review Gareth v An important doco that doesn't pretend to know all the answers and shines a light on to what is a cruel and greedy industry. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A good doc re the ivory trade. It's sad to see animals being killed for monetary gain. You have to be some kind of psycho to be able to do that. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member Great stuff. It starts a bit slow but picks up shortly after the film begins. Very informative and entertaining . Highly recommend. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Well rounded documentary that covers off both the poaching, and trading aspects. Quite a lot of characters though in the story results in a lot of repetition, perhaps more impactful if they'd gone for a more focused 60 minute documentary. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member must see, exciting to see that there are people who are fighting for the Elephants, boycott China! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Ivory Game

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Ivory is a prized status symbol for middle-class Chinese, and poachers in pursuit of white gold are slaughtering African elephants in record numbers. Filmmakers went under cover for 16 months, infiltrating and documenting the deep-rooted corruption at the heart of the global ivory trafficking crisis.
Director
Kief Davidson, Richard Ladkani
Producer
Kief Davidson, Wolfgang Knöpfler, Walter Kohler
Production Co
Terra mater Factual Studios, Netflix
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 52m
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