After the controversial election of 2000 Former Vice President Al Gore was likely disillusioned a bit thinking if it was all over for him. But delving into his other aspirations he found solace in continuing his fight over environmental issues. Drawing upon research begun by his college professors Gore set out to educate a new generation, touring campuses throughout the country and making his case for the planet.

This film is a summation of these tours and the scientific results culled from decades of research. Aside from cold hard numbers we get the visual impact of pictures taken over years showing the shrinking glaciers of the world and the breakup of the polar ice caps. The evidence is there and it steers clear of the more far fetched theories of bovine flatulence and such. The possible solutions are presented more reasonably. Investing in cleaner factory production, more fuel efficient cars and so forth.

The film makes its case with a few political jokes sprinkled here and there and it seems to be cut from a cloth of genuine passion. Even if the delivery lags in parts. By that I mean the references to the Gore family history including the tobacco farming, summers in the country and a near fatal car accident. Still Gore is surprisingly charming (not the stiff that plagued his political aspirations) and he makes his case in a matter-of-fact, yet compelling fashion.

Despite the few shortcomings I feel the film is important in creating a dialogue on how to deal with the future of our fragile planet. A subject to be debated but by no means ignored.