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Unlocking the Cage

Play trailer 2:11 Poster for Unlocking the Cage Released May 25, 2016 1h 31m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Lawyer Steven Wise and the Nonhuman Rights Project file lawsuits to give animals such as chimpanzees, whales, dolphins and elephants limited personhood rights.

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Unlocking the Cage

Unlocking the Cage

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Critics Consensus

Unlocking the Cage could have benefited from a broader look at its subject, but it makes its points in an intelligent and refreshingly non-didactic way.

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Critics Reviews

View All (41) Critics Reviews
Duane Byrge The Hollywood Reporter A crisp and convincing doc. Nov 3, 2020 Full Review Maureen Ryan Variety For those less familiar with her life, Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise should serve as a bracing introduction, and as an inducement to dive into her prose, poetry and speeches. Feb 21, 2017 Full Review Brian Lowry CNN.com At a time when so many cinematic arguments are cast in black-and-white terms, tipping the scales in one direction, it's refreshing to see one that's content to present a case that leaves room for several shades of gray. Feb 21, 2017 Full Review Bill Chambers Film Freak Central The depiction of Wise's advocacy could use a little more urgency. Rated: 2.5/4 Mar 3, 2022 Full Review Ellen Dwyer One Room With A View It's difficult to make a documentary about a legal battle interesting...But Unlocking The Cage achieves this because at its heart is a fascinating exploration of what it is to be a person, told in an intelligent and utterly convincing way. Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2019 Full Review Andrew Parker The Gate Hegedus and Pennebaker present a rational argument with no bias needed, and the results are compelling. Aug 28, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member The Writ of Habeas Corpus is a personhood right that sould be extended to chimpanzees to be free to live out their lives unconfined as the personal & social beings they innately are. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Heartwarmimg film that everyone should see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent documentary. I am so grateful to the filmmaker for bringing long overdue attention to this topic. I hope that Steven Wise and The Non Human Rights Project see the fruits of their labor sooner than later. The movie was very inspiring and I wanted to see more. A must see film! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent documentary... animals being treated no better and often worse than the criminal humans we imprison. Its time to fight for their rights; Set them fee. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member I absolutely loved it! I was riveted. I was moved to tears several times. It is what I believe in already, but if someone on the fence saw this, I believe it paints a convincing argument of what Steven Wise and The Nonhuman Rights Project are working towards. We don't treat our worse criminals the way we treat highly intelligent, emotional, and sentient beings just because they are of a different species. They are innocents! And just like our own human children, they deserve basic rights and respect. Not locked up in cages or zoos or laboratories. I will recommend this movie to everyone. I am so grateful for all the work that they are doing, and that progress is happening. #angels Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Fascinating and educational, loved it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Unlocking the Cage

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Movie Info

Synopsis Lawyer Steven Wise and the Nonhuman Rights Project file lawsuits to give animals such as chimpanzees, whales, dolphins and elephants limited personhood rights.
Director
Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker
Producer
Chris Hegedus, Frazer Pennebaker, Rosadel Varela
Distributor
First Run Features
Production Co
Pennebaker Hegedus Films
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 25, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 5, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$26.6K
Runtime
1h 31m
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