Educational Media Reviews Online

The Nuclear Option asks for a fresh look at nuclear power, despite lingering fears from the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl disasters, and new fears of terrorist attacks. It makes its case based upon job generation, foreseeable exhaustion of fossil fuels, environmental concerns, and rising energy costs. Critics state that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s oversight of existing nuclear plants is unsatisfactory. Nuclear power specialists give candid responses of treatment of waste material, and call for copious, secure storage facilities. After surveying the U.S. pop culture’s view of nuclear power, the film insists that a long overdue sea change is underway. Even the co-founder of Greenpeace is a nuclear energy advocate.

This is an excellent work that illustrates numerous aspects of the issue without a great deal of jargon. It is brief and cogent. Viewers should know, however, that the film has a pro-nuclear bend. While it does indeed give frequent point and counterpoint segments, only one outspoken opponent of nuclear energy was interviewed. Nevertheless, this work provides a superb outline of the challenges facing the growth of nuclear power in the United States.