Exterminate All the Brutes (2021 film)

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Exterminate All the Brutes
Based on
Written byRaoul Peck
Directed byRaoul Peck
Music byAlexei Aigui
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • Raoul Peck
  • Rémi Grellety
  • Nancy Abraham
  • Lisa Heller
  • Jamie Morris
  • Poppy Dixon
  • Jack Oliver
Producers
  • Daniel Delume
  • Sara Rodriguez
CinematographyStéphane Fontaine
EditorAlexandra Strauss
Running time59-60 minutes
Production companies
DistributorHBO
Release
Original networkHBO
Original releaseApril 7 (2021-04-07) –
April 8, 2021 (2021-04-08)
External links
Website

Exterminate All the Brutes is an internationally co-produced documentary miniseries revolving around colonization and genocide, directed and narrated by Raoul Peck. The series consists of four episodes and premiered in the United States on April 7, 2021, on HBO.[1] It premiered in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2021, on Sky Documentaries.[2] The series takes its name from Sven Lindqvist's book with the same name, on which it is partially based,[3][4] a phrase which Lindqvist in turn borrowed from Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness, in which the quote "Exterminate all the brutes" appears.

Plot[]

The series follows colonization and multiple genocides, and the effect of both, alongside imperialism and white supremacy: [5]

In the series premiere, "The Disturbing Confidence of Ignorance," filmmaker Raoul Peck sets out to illuminate the intertwined currents of hate and bigotry running through history. Focusing on the United States' legacy as a colonial power, Peck explores how race first became institutionalized, the Nazi program of "elimination" and its antecedents in the West, and the looting of the African continent in a "gentlemen's agreement."

In the second episode, "Who the F*** is Columbus," Peck revisits the stories of Christopher Columbus, the Alamo, and the Trail of Tears from an indigenous perspective, showing how "official" history is shaped by those in power and solidified by myth and popular culture. Next, he examines the "doctrine of discovery" used to justify the enslavement of millions of Africans and questions his own story within these narratives.

In the third installment of the series, "Killing at a Distance or... How I Thoroughly Enjoyed the Outing," Peck looks back at human migration, trade, and weaponry, and shows how Europeans used industrialized steel to conduct warfare from ever-greater distances. Then, he explores the endless cycle of militarization throughout the centuries – from George Washington's efforts to jump-start American arms manufacturing, to the Monroe Doctrine, and finally, to the horrors of the bombing of civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In the series finale, "The Bright Colors of Fascism," Peck explores the challenge of reconciling America's true history with its ideals of freedom and democracy, pointing to the struggle for native representation and the legacy of slavery in institutionalized racism today. Reflecting on his time in Berlin, Peck links the modern resurgence of white nationalism with fascism, slavery, colonialism, and Nazism.

Cast[]

  • Raoul Peck as himself, the narrator
  • Josh Hartnett
  • Casia Ankarsparre
  • Richard Brake
  • Alex Descas
  • Bakary Sangaré
  • Denis Lyons
  • Eriq Ebouaney
  • Aïssa Maïga
  • Fraser James
  • Ettore d'Alessandro
  • Habib Diakhaby
  • Edward Arnold
  • Zinedine Soualem
  • Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
  • Sven Lindkvist as himself (archive footage)

Episodes[]

No.TitleDirected byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
1"The Disturbing Confidence of Ignorance"Raoul PeckApril 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)0.081[6]
2"Who the F*** is Columbus?"Raoul PeckApril 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)0.125[6]
3"Killing at a Distance or...How I Thoroughly Enjoyed the Outing"Raoul PeckApril 8, 2021 (2021-04-08)0.137[7]
4"The Bright Colors of Fascism"Raoul PeckApril 8, 2021 (2021-04-08)0.136[7]

Production[]

Raoul Peck began working on the project after an executive at HBO agreed to produce a documentary of his on any topic.[8] The series is based on the books Exterminate All the Brutes by Sven Lindqvist, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, and Silencing the Past by Michel-Rolph Trouillot.[9]

In February 2020, it was announced Raoul Peck would direct a 4-episode documentary series revolving around colonization and genocide for HBO, with HBO Documentary Films set to produce, with Josh Hartnett set to star as the lead in scripted scenes.[10]

Filming[]

On July 30, 2020, Hartnett revealed that his segments were filmed in Paris, France before the COVID-19 lockdown.[11]

Reception[]

Critical reception[]

Exterminate All the Brutes received positive reviews from film critics. It holds a 84% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 25 reviews, with a weighted average of 8.25/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "While Exterminate All the Brutes perhaps packs a little too much into its limited runtime, it remains a powerful, necessary examination of the horrors of historical colonialism and its lingering impact on the world today."[12] On Metacritic, the series holds a rating of 83 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[13]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Grober, Matt (March 23, 2021). "'Exterminate All The Brutes': HBO Reveals Trailer & Sets Premiere Date For Raoul Peck's Experimental Docuseries". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  2. ^ Wong Macabasco, Lisa (April 7, 2021). "'Sometimes, it's shocking': Raoul Peck on his bold new colonialism series". The Guardian. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  3. ^ Berman, Judy (7 April 2021). "HBO's Exterminate All the Brutes Is a Radical Masterpiece About White Supremacy, Violence and the History of the West". Time. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. ^ Castillo, Monica (7 April 2021). "Exterminate All the Brutes". rogeregbert.com. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. ^ Exterminate All the Brutes at IMDb
  6. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (April 8, 2021). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals 4.7.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (April 9, 2021). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals 4.8.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  8. ^ Ito, Robert (April 5, 2021). "'In 'Exterminate All the Brutes,' Raoul Peck Takes Aim at White Supremacy". The New York Times. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "Director & Writer Raoul Peck's 'Exterminate All the Brutes'". WYNC. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  10. ^ Hipes, Patrick (February 18, 2020). "Raoul Peck Teams With HBO On Colonialism Docuseries 'Exterminate All The Brutes'; Josh Hartnett To Topline Scripted Portions". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  11. ^ Raddish, Christina (July 30, 2020). "Josh Hartnett on 'Most Wanted', Guy Ritchie's 'Cash Truck', and Why 'Paradise Lost' Was a Disappointment". Collider. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  12. ^ "Exterminate All the Brutes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  13. ^ "Exterminate All the Brutes". Metacritic. Retrieved April 9, 2021.

External links[]

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