Unlocking the Cage

Play trailer

2:11

Unlocking the Cage

Released May 25, 2016

1h 31m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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.

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Duane Byrge

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 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

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Chris Hegedus

Director

D.A. Pennebaker

Director

Chris Hegedus

Producer

Frazer Pennebaker

Producer

Rosadel Varela

Producer

Frazer Pennebaker

Executive Producer

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Koko: A Talking Gorilla

100%

86%

Koko: A Talking Gorilla

Watchlist

Racing Extinction

82%

83%

Racing Extinction

Watchlist

Seed: The Untold Story

93%

83%

Seed: The Untold Story

Watchlist

Before the Flood

75%

77%

Before the Flood

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Before the Flood

Eating Animals

91%

75%

Eating Animals

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Eating Animals

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

X-Men: Apocalypse Is a So-So Superhero Slugfest

Unlocking the Cage: Trailer 1

2:11

View more videos

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now