Battle in Seattle

On November, 30, 1999, thousands of people converged onto the streets of Seattle, Washington. Some were there to attend the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, some were there to protest it. BATTLE IN SEATTLE does not try to answer the question of whether globalization is good or bad. What it does try to show is how a peaceful protest can suddenly go awry and how people are dragged unwillingly into the debate. People such as Ella (Charlize Theron) who just found out she is pregnant and is just trying to get home through the madness on the streets. Ella's husband Dale (Woody Harrelson), is a SWAT team member who is trying to keep the peace. But when a small group of violent protesters start smashing windows and looting, the powers-that-be have no choice but to fight back and shut the conference down. Suddenly, the protests have an adverse affect on those who are fighting for lives in the developing world and who were planning on using the conference to voice their ideas and findings, only to have their voices silenced by mindless anger. – WFG