MovieChat Forums > Trophy (2017) Discussion > An excellent documentary about a complic...

An excellent documentary about a complicated subject

posted 7 years ago by tyboulder2 (101)
2 replies | jump to latest

I might've hesitated to watch this documentary had it just appeared on Netflix because I find a mix of violence and animals hard to tolerate. But this isn’t one to avoid.

Unlike some documentaries that shock their audiences with violent footage over and over in order to drive home a single message, Trophy covers the topic of big game hunting in a way that feels respectful of its audience and its subjects.

It’s a multifaceted film about a complicated topic and it doesn’t try to make your mind up for you. It gives you enough information to spur on a good discussion within like-minded people— or simply to appreciate how tough it is to protect some of this world’s most incredible and at risk animals.

[–] svenrufus (13) 7 years ago

It is complicated, and as a vegetarian, and as someone who could never personally countenance hunting anything, I also fully appreciate the value that the hunting can bring to wider conservation objectives, not to mention the sometimes unavoidable management of wild animal populations. I was particularly taken with the argument someone made that we may just need to shift our mindset to see the animals as domesticated and a lot of the challenges people feel about the work being undertaken just disappear.

My biggest issue with this is not the hunting per se, but rather the hunters themselves and the attitudes that underpin the positive benefits. There is something deeply repellant about the reaction of the guy after killing the croc, a troubling callousness as the elephant hunter stop by watching the elephants last minutes while calmly smoking his cigarette.

It's not the hunting, it's the hunters that bothers me, and despite all the benefits, I have trouble with the idea of pandering to these people's bloodlust.

Yep and thought provoking indeed. Excellent stuff.

[–] damocci (1514) 5 years ago

I went into this documentary 100% certain that there is absolutely nothing NOTHING that can justify trophy hunting. But, amazingly, after watching it I am now very undecided.

It's pretty clear that the hunters are sick people who get a rush out of murder, but some of the arguments put forth by the conservationists (in particular the argument that no animal can ever go extinct as long as farmers are farming them) is kind of compelling.

Like you said, this is a very complicated subject and after this documentary I really don't know where I stand anymore. It's a definite must watch for anyone who is concerned about endangered species.