A majority of North Americans depend on oil, unaware of an inevitable oil shortage that threatens to collapse our industrialized nation, in the foreseeable future. If we continue ignoring our dependence on oil and not realizing its significance in almost every part of our lives, it will be the end of our society, as we know it. The documentary A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash focuses on exposing an imminent problem. Revealing that our dependence on oil and insatiable consumption of it threatens to exceed supply, namely focusing discussions on the peak oil theory. The film establishes that oil is a precious, non-renewable, free source of energy that we use for almost everything. The movie illustrates that oil is a catalyst for war and often holds more power than money. The film explains the peak oil theory and provides evidence of our obvious slump in oil supply versus our unquenchable demand for cheap energy. The film concludes that alternative sources of energy are “band aide” solutions at best and that ultimately if we continue down the path we now tread, without researching alternative sources of energy, life, as we know it will be unsustainable. The directors of the film are successful in creating a convincing argument. Accomplish this by incorporating interviews with professionals whom are specialized in this area; also, the film has obvious emotional appeal using persuading imagery to influence the audiences emotions, and by developing a logical organization of the documentary.
Throughout the film, the directors use various expert sources, ranging from professionals in the oil industry, to government officials to university professors. The directors’ post each sources title, causing instant credibility, because the information is from highly qualified sources in the oil industry. These professionals relay their messages in a unpretentious way. Allowing viewers to identify with them, where in some instances these authority