Issues drama at its patchiest, "Battle in Seattle" takes the 1999 street siege protesting the World Trade Organization conference as the jumping-off point for a simplistic diatribe.
I'm no expert on trade guidelines, but the deck is stacked against the WTO so heavily that, in dramatic terms, they're the underdogs.
The activists are uniformly young, attractive and adventurous. Their adversaries are a phalanx of anonymous, frowning wrinklies in suits.
The scenes of conflict carry a certain local resonance after the recent arrests surrounding the RNC, but the film's ambitions exceed director Stuart Townsend's grasp.
(Rated R. )
Movies: 'Battle in Seattle' beyond reach |