Opening with a tongue-in-cheek funeral for the electric car, [Chris] Paine gives us lessons in the environment, history, politics, finance, and let's face it - stupidity, as we follow the demise of the EV-1.

| Nov 6, 2019

| Original Score: A- | Sep 7, 2011

Another few of these squandered opportunities for art-house muckraking and we'll need someone to ask who killed the left-wing documentary.

| Aug 27, 2009

The film shows how politicians on both sides of the isle conspired with oil companies and car manufacturers to rob our ecology of one of its most promising assets.

| Original Score: A- | Apr 23, 2009

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 7, 2008

Chris Paine's documentary about General Motors' development and withdrawal of the innovative, environment-friendly EV1 automobile is bound to reverberate with anyone who's fallen in love with a product only to see it irrevocably yanked from the market.

| Mar 21, 2008

Transcends its own awful construction by being a documentary, further supporting the idea that docs needn't be well made to be worthwhile.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 17, 2007

Given the shortsighted shenanigans engaged in by these corporate-oriented politicians and greedy captains of industry, is it any wonder that we'd end up mired in the Middle East to ensure the flow of oil? Who killed the electric car? The usual suspects.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Jun 1, 2007

This fascinating feature-length documentary tells the shameful story of how fast, economical electric cars became a hit in California in the 1990s, then vanished almost overnight.

| May 24, 2007

It goes far beyond electric cars to illustrate how big business controls government actions and policies at all levels with damaging results.

| Original Score: B | Mar 30, 2007

This rich and absorbing documentary also functions as mystery and exposé.

| Mar 1, 2007

In the interest of understanding how your government and big business work (and work together against the consumer's interest), you owe it to yourself to see this film.

| Dec 30, 2006

On the other hand, the activists are a little twee to deliver any serious drama

| Nov 10, 2006

It's liable to get people hopping mad, whether or not they buy Paine's overarching conspiracy theory.

Full Review | Oct 7, 2006

Piercingly demonstrates how technological advancement occurs only when it aligns with monied interests, and argues persuasively for the idea that we all deserve better.

| Original Score: A | Sep 17, 2006

Where too many politically minded films seem to exist only to confirm what the audience already believes, it's a thrill to sit in a theater and learn something new and so, so infuriating.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Sep 14, 2006

Hits home on all cylinders.

| Original Score: B | Sep 13, 2006

Chris Paine has painted a convincing picture of corporate greed -- working hand in hand with the government.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 6, 2006

This doc looks at the possible suspects in the death of the promising electric vehicle: consumers, oil companies, car manufacturers, gov. and even the Hydrogen Fuel Cell car.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 31, 2006

The film provides a journalistic service, telling a story that most people in the United States have not heard. It's a fascinating tale.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Aug 25, 2006