Educational Media Reviews Online

The overconsumption of plastic has taken a significant toll on world’s oceans. This has become increasingly clear, and A Plastic Ocean finds examples from many perspectives. Although it doesn’t go much further than pointing out the extent of the problem, it certainly provides a wealth of scientific and anecdotal evidence, if in a somewhat disjointed fashion.

The film intercuts between multiple stories about scientists, filmmakers, divers, communities, and even a surfer, all of whom have seen first-hand both the environmental and human damage caused by plastic pollution in the ocean, like the waves of garbage slowly burying Tuvalu. A Plastic Ocean is at times breathtaking. The film is technically outstanding, and it underscores its point with stunning underwater footage. In-between the interviews and personal stories, the documentary works in scientific information, further grounding its message.

There’s not a strong thread connecting the film together, and across the full running time, jumping between these stories can be jarring. After a while, the mountains of evidence can become numbing, and the documentary becomes a bit lost in the personal stories it wants to tell. But it is still effective at demonstrating its main point: plastic pollution in the ocean has a profound negative effect on everyday life.

In its last twenty minutes, A Plastic Ocean attempts to suggest ways to address the problem, but this part can safely be skipped. Its suggestions are all over the place and mostly unhelpful. It emphasizes individual actions, but its ideas often involve hassling retail workers. (On the advice that you litter stores with their own plastic packaging: "Once it becomes their problem, you find that they will do something about it.") Although the film means well, this section speaks to the lack of a strong narrative. It recognizes a problem but doesn’t know what to say about it besides the fact that it’s bad.

Still, the film is recommended with reservations for the powerful visual evidence it amasses and the connection it draws between plastic pollution and its impact on our lives. It may be useful for demonstrating examples of the effects of plastic overconsumption on the ocean.