Racing ExtinctionDirector: Louie Psihoyos Showing: Dec 2 on Discovery ChannelRating: ★★★★

By KIANNA DOUTHAT

Racing Extinction is not a film. It is the start of an activist movement.

Directed by Louie Psihoyos, who is well-known for his Academy Award winning documentary The Cove, the film delivers the central message that the environment is under threat and we need to fix it.

Filled with mesmerising imagery and compelling facts, this poignant documentary is capable of converting the non-believer in all of us.

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Unlike The Cove, which brought to our attention the horrors of Japan’s Taiji dolphin slaughter, Racing Extinction examines the broader problems facing life on Earth. From fossil fuels to over-fishing our oceans, the film highlights issues of universal significance.

Psihoyos, founder of the Oceanic Preservation Society, takes his team undercover again, this time to expose the illegal killing and trade of endangered wildlife. But it’s not all black markets and secretive operations. The film highlights everyday issues, such as the CO₂ we produce from our cars and the meat we consume at our tables.

It is predicted that more than half of the species on Earth will be extinct by 2100. Using never-before-seen footage, the film unapologetically portrays the mass slaughter of endangered animals, such as the whale shark, and the effects of global warming on the world’s most vulnerable species.

"This is not a movie. This film is just the catalyst for something much larger"– Louie Psihoyos 

Working with renowned scientists, activists and photojournalists, the cast travel from the US to China and beyond to uncover the many tragedies that are threatening our fellow earthlings.

Racing Extinction is as gut-wrenching as it is beautiful. Psihoyos, who is also a National Geographic photographer, knows the power of imagery. Combining stunning animal portraits, taken by himself and co-founder of Photo Ark Joel Satore, with brutal footage of hunting and decapitation, we are taken on a journey from complete awe to utter disgust.

The documentary uses original music, including a special collaboration from documentary composer J Ralph and Australian singer-songwriter Sia. Their song titled Light a Candle will soon become an anthem for Earth activists everywhere.

The only negative is that this film it is simply too short to delve into every major issue.

But, for all the doom and gloom it presents, Racing Extinction ends with a message of hope – it’s not too late for change.

Challenging the audience into action, Psihoyos ends by saying “it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness”.

Racing Extinction is an eye-opening, must-see film for all of Earth’s human inhabitants.

Discovery Channel will premiere Racing Extinction in 220 countries and territories around the world next week. The film will be aired globally at 9pm ET/PT on December 2.