A direct look on how the rise of Carbon in the atmosphere is directly affecting climate change. Narrated by Leonardo Dicaprio, and explained by expects from across the world, this documentary goes in depth to describe how this is affecting the world we are living in, how it contributes to more severe natural disaster and is leading towards mass extinctions in our future. A sequel to Leo's "Before the Flood", Which is just as eye opening, it's worth a watch to be able to see how far we've come and what we have to do to save the planet before it's too late. A must watch!!!
42 Reviews
Elephant in the room
randyhiggins-8168513 June 2019
A well made, thought provoking, and scary compilation of what we know about the effect burning fossil fuels for energy has on our climate. Unfortunately for me, the film does not mention the elephant in the room. Until we take the difficult but necessary steps to reduce global population growth the remedies mentioned in this film all seem futile. When are we going to see a documentary about climate change that addresses this most important issue?
"Time is running out. The ice is melting"
stylss22 April 2022
An important, informative, depressing, well-made, dry and a bit too optimistic of a documentary about the destruction & inevitable death of our planet without mentioning one of the key contributors to our demise, capitalism.
Solid watch for Earth Day.
Solid watch for Earth Day.
Brilliant, Sobering, and Ultimately Hopeful
justjannerenberg-2951513 June 2019
Ice on Fire gives the plain, unvarnished facts. There is no political intrigue, double-dealing, no politically correct but confusing language. This is a documentary that presents the facts in a way that anyone can understand. DiCaprio's voice is solemn but factual, Leila Connors did a brilliant job directing, and Harun Mehmedinovic surpassed his prodigious cinematography/photographic talents. Over all, after the sobering facts are presented, we of planet Earth are given viable solutions., solutions that each of us can reasonably do. Bravo! Well done!
A Climate Change Documentary With Hope
vcstamper13 June 2019
I have to say that in the world that we currently reside I am experiencing a huge amount of overwhelming doom, maybe even a constant existential crisis regarding the global climate situation. It feels crushing, and it SHOULD because of the severity of what we are facing.
Ice on Fire takes a different, and I would say, more important approach to how we will potentially and actually deal with the Herculean task of slowing down global warming. With incredible and committed minds focusing on technologies and strategies, Ice on Fire is far from gloomy. On the contrary, I left the movie with an overwhelming feeling of hope, and a passion to see what *I* could personally do, contribute to, study and research to participate in the solution. That felt like a gift, the lifting off of my (and so many other people who are committed to addressing the dangerous present and catastrophic future of climate change) shoulders the burden of powerlessness. We are NOT powerless.
We CAN do something. This documentary opens the critical dialog of what we need to be thinking about and acting on NOW, with a sharp eye to even more effective ways of taking responsibility for slowing down global climate change. THANK YOU for making this film, and at such an important moment in our history. Thank you.
I would like to add a special nod to the intensely beautiful cinematography. This world is irreplaceable, and seeing SO many beautifully diverse places on our planet made me cry at the potential of it's loss to all of us. Human beings are steering this ship, and every other inhabitant---who, unlike humans---cannot stand up and fight for it's protection. It is OUR responsibility, and we have HOPE of making the changes necessary to save our planet.
Ice on Fire takes a different, and I would say, more important approach to how we will potentially and actually deal with the Herculean task of slowing down global warming. With incredible and committed minds focusing on technologies and strategies, Ice on Fire is far from gloomy. On the contrary, I left the movie with an overwhelming feeling of hope, and a passion to see what *I* could personally do, contribute to, study and research to participate in the solution. That felt like a gift, the lifting off of my (and so many other people who are committed to addressing the dangerous present and catastrophic future of climate change) shoulders the burden of powerlessness. We are NOT powerless.
We CAN do something. This documentary opens the critical dialog of what we need to be thinking about and acting on NOW, with a sharp eye to even more effective ways of taking responsibility for slowing down global climate change. THANK YOU for making this film, and at such an important moment in our history. Thank you.
I would like to add a special nod to the intensely beautiful cinematography. This world is irreplaceable, and seeing SO many beautifully diverse places on our planet made me cry at the potential of it's loss to all of us. Human beings are steering this ship, and every other inhabitant---who, unlike humans---cannot stand up and fight for it's protection. It is OUR responsibility, and we have HOPE of making the changes necessary to save our planet.
Excellent data; Nothing I Can Do About It
gsandra-2687612 June 2019
Documentaries like this add to the increasing sense of fear and futility that world citizens feel. It is not the powerless citizens who are responsible for this inevitable catastrophe -- it is the corporations and governments who have pursued industrial development at any cost to health and environment.
Nothing is going to be done about carbon emissions because companies put profits above everything else. Governments are funded by rich corporations and so the demonic dance goes.
This environmental fear campaign is like the nuclear- weapons fear campaign. We are powerless against the forces of greed, chaos, and destruction. The human species is a rapacious, voracious, self-destructive force that will not be tamed.
While this is a technically ound film. It's only end result for viewers is fear and depression. Any influential powers who could do anything have no interest in any of this. Most old-money involve old people who don't care because they will be dead when the horror comes down.
Nothing is going to be done about carbon emissions because companies put profits above everything else. Governments are funded by rich corporations and so the demonic dance goes.
This environmental fear campaign is like the nuclear- weapons fear campaign. We are powerless against the forces of greed, chaos, and destruction. The human species is a rapacious, voracious, self-destructive force that will not be tamed.
While this is a technically ound film. It's only end result for viewers is fear and depression. Any influential powers who could do anything have no interest in any of this. Most old-money involve old people who don't care because they will be dead when the horror comes down.
A Hopeful, Accessible, and Remarkably Beautiful Approach to Attainable Climate Change Mitigation
holliejwagner14 June 2019
At a time when climate science is being all-too-often renounced as a hoax, and widening economic inequality is continuing to jeopardize people's quality of life, Ice on Fire offers innovative solutions that address both preeminent issues simultaneously. By featuring cutting edge, solutions-oriented research that not only boasts significant and fast-acting carbon sequestration, but that also contains the capability of generating profit, scientists are instead envisioning a more pragmatic, bases loaded approach to sustainable solutions that even a more skeptical and conservative audience, whose primary concerns are job creation and profitability, can buy into. One of the unique ways this film bridges the accessibility gap found in many science-heavy documentaries is through it's highlighting of relatable innovators whose stories and efforts can be understood by anyone. Most notable are the tales of two farmers who are transforming their respective industries by bringing environmentally sustainable solutions to traditionally working class practices; Iatef Vita's urban farming amidst the concrete jungles of LA and Bren Smith's kelp and shellfish farming along the shores of the East Coast are two examples that could be affordably implemented and highly impactful in a myriad of ways from boosting local economies to improving community health. Ice on Fire as a whole paints a hopeful vision of collaborative solutions to our impending ecological crisis through Mehmedinovic's striking cinematography and Connors' incisive direction.
Listen to our Indigenous Neighbors!
kakymorris29 July 2019
The Native American Indians and ALL Indigenous people's have had a perfect balance with the Universe and all its elements for thousands of years! These magnificent, beautiful, vanishing peoples have fused the stars, sun, moon, animals, plants and oceans, seas, rivers and lakes with powerful ancient knowledge, passed down for centuries and generations. How to fish all the waters, in abundance without depleting or polluting, hunting any mammal and using every bit of it with no waste. Making natural fire breaks to prevent the millions of acres of trees, land, rivers from becoming a vast forest fire. If we would go back to the natural way's of Earth's primary cares, so many of these "expensive colossal scientific research projects", could be used for the number one thing on this glorious planet: The Human Being ...to love our neighbors and treat everyone (including animals, the planet..all encompassing) as you want to be treated.
Not the Doomsday Downer You Might Expect
larog7513 June 2019
Unless you live under a rock you are aware of climate change. Whether you believe in the science of it or instead choose to put on your political blinders and profess it's not real, this film presents a multitude of answers and solutions for an innovative and positive way forward. The science of how atmospheric CO2 build up is affecting our planet is laid out with care such that a layman can understand but with enough specificity that it is not oversimplified. But it does not stop there. Countless solutions are presented by various scientists, researchers, and innovators around the globe explaining ways that we can not only stop our carbon footprint from rapid expansion but also how we can actually reverse that footprint. We have a limited amount of time to effectively implement these incredible ideas but it is not yet too late. The fact that these ideas have already passed proof of concept and continue to be scaled across the world should be enough reason to get behind them; that they open up tens of millions of new jobs, economic growth, and a path for our children and future generations to inhabit this Earth long after we're gone should leave no doubt that whatever your political leanings, it's time to act. PERIOD.
Deny This At Your Own Peril
jecheg13 June 2019
Techno-solutionist dreams absolve us from the responsibility for changing our behavior
witness-716 July 2019
First, the good. Without resorting to cloying scare tactics, the doc does a decent job of outlining the science behind how our world is changing and the dangers it represents. The doc also has access to a number of interesting early projects backed by research data that could make a real impact on our drawdown requirements for carbon and methane sequestration. Paul Hawken is a particularly great interview subject given his efforts behind Project Drawdown.
But then the not-so-good. It completely worships at the "new technology will save the day" altar. For anyone who has worked with the best climate models available to us, you learn really quickly how unrealistic that is. Nuclear power took 20 years to roll out the infrastructure at scale for example, and the world will cook in the interim.
Technology is a part of the strategy, but it isn't enough. The doc does lend credence to the "silver buckshot" vs "silver bullet" thinking, but it puts all its eggs in the new tech basket. This also absolves humans of their responsibilities to necessarily change our comsumption-driven ways of thinking and living. It's as if we are told we can continue eating cheeseburgers and living a sedentary lifestyle because our doctor can come up with a new magical diet pill and we won't need to change a thing.
New technologies also always introduce as many new problems as the ones they attempt to solve. There is no attempt to qualify or quantify that. Let's seed the oceans with iron filings and create bubbles to carbonate the ocean! It's the magic diet pill with no side effects.
The strength of a documentary is in how it tells a complete story, not just a weighted account. As such, this doc ran more like cheerleading piece for how new geoengineering technologies will save us with no harmful side-effects -- which is ignorant at best and dangerous at worst. All we need to do is call our senator.
But then the not-so-good. It completely worships at the "new technology will save the day" altar. For anyone who has worked with the best climate models available to us, you learn really quickly how unrealistic that is. Nuclear power took 20 years to roll out the infrastructure at scale for example, and the world will cook in the interim.
Technology is a part of the strategy, but it isn't enough. The doc does lend credence to the "silver buckshot" vs "silver bullet" thinking, but it puts all its eggs in the new tech basket. This also absolves humans of their responsibilities to necessarily change our comsumption-driven ways of thinking and living. It's as if we are told we can continue eating cheeseburgers and living a sedentary lifestyle because our doctor can come up with a new magical diet pill and we won't need to change a thing.
New technologies also always introduce as many new problems as the ones they attempt to solve. There is no attempt to qualify or quantify that. Let's seed the oceans with iron filings and create bubbles to carbonate the ocean! It's the magic diet pill with no side effects.
The strength of a documentary is in how it tells a complete story, not just a weighted account. As such, this doc ran more like cheerleading piece for how new geoengineering technologies will save us with no harmful side-effects -- which is ignorant at best and dangerous at worst. All we need to do is call our senator.
Ice on Fire is about Solutions
jdmathes13 June 2019
Anyone who has been paying attention, knows there is a climate catastrophe underway. Ice on Fire takes viewers into the field and into the labs to show us how we indisputably know this. The science is solid -- it should be noted that ExxonMobil, Chevron, and other corporations (most notably insurance companies) have released statements that climate change is a real threat to infrastructure and national security, but this film takes it a step further and takes us to sites where governments and corporations are working to solve the problem of removing carbon from the environment. This is refreshing. Not only are solutions being found and are working, we get a glimpse on how a future economy will work and like all economies, the ones who invest in the future will be its beneficiaries, while those who ignore the problem and refuse to invest in the new technology will be left behind. Ice on Fire resists cynicism and works against dread even as scientists punch holes in the ice of an Alaskan lake and light the escaping methane from the thawing permafrost on fire. The film also doesn't give any airtime to the trite spiels of climate deniers, conspiracy theorists, or any of the naysayers who can only speak in logical fallacies. It didn't need to. We have been run ragged by them and know they aren't about finding solutions to the crisis, but exacerbating it. These people would have detracted from the film's purpose and lent credibility to those who don't deserve any. Ice on Fire is beautifully shot and edited. It hits the right balance between interview, narration, facts and tables without being boring. But its engaging artistry is all directed to show us if enough people contribute their voices to support these efforts already underway and support the research to discover as yet undiscovered solutions, we and many other living things will continue to exist on this planet, and the powerful play that is the human story will go on.
Unflinching, gripping and direct
deon-pretorius13 June 2019
I watched this incredible documentary last night and it's a must see for everyone on earth. Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio it unflinchingly shows the current state of climate change and exactly where the earth is headed in a very short space of time.
Climate change is no longer an issue that only future generations will have to worry about. We are the first generation to really feel the impact of climate change and the last one that will be able to do something about it.
Climate change is no longer an issue that only future generations will have to worry about. We are the first generation to really feel the impact of climate change and the last one that will be able to do something about it.
Beautifully Shot With an Important Message
lnc-5984214 June 2019
This documentary is not only eye-opening, but it is a wake up call for humanity. The Ice on Fire team did a beautiful job making this film and it is clear that countless hours were spent to ensure everything came together perfectly.
Pertinent and Powerful
partha-partha-som13 June 2019
This is a pertinent and powerful documentary once again coming from DiCaprio. This documentary tries to find ways to stop or reverse the negative effects of climate change. The cinematography is brilliant; the narrative voice of DiCaprio confident and urgent without being haughty. And most importantly, it is based on facts and statistics from around the world.
a must watch
mommyluvskylie14 June 2019
A solid film, but no mention of animal agriculture damages its credibility
sugarsnap2729 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Everything presented is valuable information, but the film omits ANY mention of the impact of land-based animal agriculture on climate change. When you're making a film about what humans have done and now might do differently, there's no excuse for excluding information about animal agriculture. I'm not saying advocate for veganism, just be real and offer the same kind of scientific information about the impact of collectively reducing our consumption of animal products. If you can showcase marine farming and mention overfishing, you can and must talk about animal agriculture on land. You're shirking the responsibility you took on in making this film by omitting such a significant piece of the puzzle.
Easy to understand
wahlmank14 June 2019
A hopeful and impossible film
micheleflynn14 June 2019
I found Ice on Fire to be inspirational because it not only showed what we are doing to cause climate change but also the steps people and countries are taking to fight it. It is hopeful and insightful.
Bravo to the dedicated film makers and contributors.
Stuning documentary offering climate solutions that only the courageous will undertake
morgan-marvel15 June 2019
An aesthetic masterpiece. The stunning cinematography (Mehmedinovic) is a testimony to the dedicated, intrepid crew that braved challenging conditions around the globe to bring these stunning facts to the screen. The brilliance of Conners is revealed in the script, the development of the sense of urgency and her hunt for folks who are working to bring us solutions. It is so easy for the limited soul to belittle their efforts. It takes courage to confront the facts and intelligence and fortitude to move forward with solutions. Ice on Fire is the rallying call for the brave and brilliant who are moving forward in the face of daunting but not impossible odds.
terrific documentary
shgconsult12 June 2019
Instead of a lecture about the world being about to end, this much more approachable documentary combines gorgeous photography with an non-intrusive narration and focuses on understandable science. The explanations are clear and free of jargon, and the film explores realistic science based options to combat climate change. The soundtrack is excellent and the whole film sounds and looks great, while teaching important information about climate science. Highly recommended.
Eye opening. EVERYONE should watch it
mramosr30 September 2019
8/10 just because it is not FREE to watch... and it should be!
This is not the classical movie you enjoy as a good story and then you go home thinking about it a little and you forget the next day. This is a scientific study telling us ALL that we have a global crisis that threathens life, our very life as a species. And that we are responsible for this situation. There is no excuse to ignore and not act on this. We know the problem. We have prototypes for solutions. We have countries that are successfully functioning on green technologies. People who knows the problem and deliberately deny it (business men, mainstream media, politicians) misinforming the public, are effectively committing a huge crime against humanity, as if they live in another planet! I learned several new concepts here that I will share with skeptics near me. It is also critical for the public to see these authoritative voices, these scientists who have the truth and the innovative solutions.
One thing I do have to add. THIS MOVIE SHOULD BE FREE TO WATCH FOR EVERYBODY! How can you share such an important message if it has a pay wall?
This is not the classical movie you enjoy as a good story and then you go home thinking about it a little and you forget the next day. This is a scientific study telling us ALL that we have a global crisis that threathens life, our very life as a species. And that we are responsible for this situation. There is no excuse to ignore and not act on this. We know the problem. We have prototypes for solutions. We have countries that are successfully functioning on green technologies. People who knows the problem and deliberately deny it (business men, mainstream media, politicians) misinforming the public, are effectively committing a huge crime against humanity, as if they live in another planet! I learned several new concepts here that I will share with skeptics near me. It is also critical for the public to see these authoritative voices, these scientists who have the truth and the innovative solutions.
One thing I do have to add. THIS MOVIE SHOULD BE FREE TO WATCH FOR EVERYBODY! How can you share such an important message if it has a pay wall?
Not one single commentator mentions the reason for the increasing of carbon production
omendata20 November 2019
And the answer is so simple its called OVERPOPULATION and as long as China, India and Africa keep increasing their populations and as they are so called "developing" nations they cannot afford to go green and never will when 90% of their populations are poor then the problem will never be solved.
We have to face facts and that the climate crisis cannot be solved no matter how many carbon credits we use, how many windfarms are created - climate change has been going on for thousands of years its the natural way of the planet and we are just accelarating what happened in the last ice age and the last global warming. Volcanoes have already been proven to cause global cooling reducing the warming.
Cynics will say its just another method for governments to tax us to the hilt, control us and spread fear instead and quelling the "uppity" proles and keeping the rich and powerful in power - You choose!
This documentary tells us nothing new and does not even tell us the truth about overpopulation and who do we have narrating this from his private jet or yacht when he could be donating all of his money or even a part to solve the problem like all the other politicians, lawyers, accountants, billionaires, bankers and other assorted hypocritical pond-life that seek to control us and live life high on the hog and expect us the "small people" to make all the sacrifices - are you a cynic yet?
We have to face facts and that the climate crisis cannot be solved no matter how many carbon credits we use, how many windfarms are created - climate change has been going on for thousands of years its the natural way of the planet and we are just accelarating what happened in the last ice age and the last global warming. Volcanoes have already been proven to cause global cooling reducing the warming.
Cynics will say its just another method for governments to tax us to the hilt, control us and spread fear instead and quelling the "uppity" proles and keeping the rich and powerful in power - You choose!
This documentary tells us nothing new and does not even tell us the truth about overpopulation and who do we have narrating this from his private jet or yacht when he could be donating all of his money or even a part to solve the problem like all the other politicians, lawyers, accountants, billionaires, bankers and other assorted hypocritical pond-life that seek to control us and live life high on the hog and expect us the "small people" to make all the sacrifices - are you a cynic yet?
Science educator vested interest!
p_nutswede10 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This film is a fabulous revision tool for many of my pupils in IB Environmental Systems and Societies, the voices of experts, scientists and their measurements, links between the climate change gases and the systems being changed by the elements of the cycles are all great and the language used throughout is therefore surprisingly accurate.
I was a little disappointed at the lack of factual measurements in terms of the "drawdown" of carbon by trees (I suspect not as much being removed from the atmosphere as made out) and the big elephant in the room of how little has been achieved so far by the Paris Agreement and the disparity of global reaction to the carbon emissions...
Ultimately as it is not as "Hollywood" as Before the flood, I am unsure of my teenage pupils, the ones who in the next 2 decades will be in charge of policies and global decisions will engage and watch to the end... I can only try!
Climate disruption 101 explained for the rest of us
paul-allaer21 March 2020
"Ice On Fire" (2019 release; 95 min.) is a documentary about what causes climate disruption (a/k/a climate change) and how it can be fixed. As the movie opens, the voice-over (narrator Leonardo DiCaprio) informs us that in the last 250 years (roughly since the Industrial Revolution), the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen dramatically, and the voice-over invites us to then listen to the impartial experts (scientists, professors, and the like) to understand the implications of this. We then go to the "Rocky Mountains" where a woman at the University of Colorado drives up a mountain in a snowmobile to a remote location to take air samples, as is done around the world, to keep track of the parts per million (PPM) of carbon dioxide (322 in 1968, now at 408). At this point we are 10 min. into the movie.
Couple of comments: this movie serves to be a basic introductory to everyone wondering what the deal is with "climate change". To the credit of director Leila Connors and the entire production team, they are staying away from politics and instead focus on "just the facts, 'mam". Hence no annoying/preachy figures like Al Gore or even Greta Thunberg, but instead we get third party experts from all over the world, testifying as to their scientific work and what it all means for you and me. "What happens in the Arctic has major implications in the rest of the world", informs one of them, and then explain how and why. At one point there is a clip that shows in about 30 seconds how much exactly the ice mass of the Arctic has reduced from 1984 to 2016, and frankly it is frightening when you see it like that. The movie's title refers to the methane emissions from thawing permafrost in the Arctic as it bubbles up in frozen lakes around the Arctic (one of the scientists pokes a hole in the lake and sets it aflame, hence "ice on fire"). But it's not all bad news, as the documentary also shows how we can reverse the ongoing climate disruption in specific and concrete and DOABLE ways.
"Ice On Fire" premiered at the 2019 Cannes film festival to immediate acclaim. I just recently caught it on HBO On Demand. The movie is quite similar to a new PBS documentary called "Polar Extremes" that just premiered on NOVAS. And there's nothing wrong with having two similar movies about this important topic. This is MILES away from the bombastic and annoying "An Inconvenient Truth". "Ice on Fire" sticks to the scientific facts and lets them speak for themselves. If you have been wondering what to commotion of climate change has been about (as I was), I'd readily encourage you to check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
Couple of comments: this movie serves to be a basic introductory to everyone wondering what the deal is with "climate change". To the credit of director Leila Connors and the entire production team, they are staying away from politics and instead focus on "just the facts, 'mam". Hence no annoying/preachy figures like Al Gore or even Greta Thunberg, but instead we get third party experts from all over the world, testifying as to their scientific work and what it all means for you and me. "What happens in the Arctic has major implications in the rest of the world", informs one of them, and then explain how and why. At one point there is a clip that shows in about 30 seconds how much exactly the ice mass of the Arctic has reduced from 1984 to 2016, and frankly it is frightening when you see it like that. The movie's title refers to the methane emissions from thawing permafrost in the Arctic as it bubbles up in frozen lakes around the Arctic (one of the scientists pokes a hole in the lake and sets it aflame, hence "ice on fire"). But it's not all bad news, as the documentary also shows how we can reverse the ongoing climate disruption in specific and concrete and DOABLE ways.
"Ice On Fire" premiered at the 2019 Cannes film festival to immediate acclaim. I just recently caught it on HBO On Demand. The movie is quite similar to a new PBS documentary called "Polar Extremes" that just premiered on NOVAS. And there's nothing wrong with having two similar movies about this important topic. This is MILES away from the bombastic and annoying "An Inconvenient Truth". "Ice on Fire" sticks to the scientific facts and lets them speak for themselves. If you have been wondering what to commotion of climate change has been about (as I was), I'd readily encourage you to check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
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