REVIEW: Fuel (2009)

Josh Tickell’s addendum on his well-received Field of Fuel (2008) rides high on the courage of its’ convictions in spreading news of alternative, clean energy resources. Back from storming the country in his veggie van, Tickell’s latest documentary includes a wealth of new information on wind, solar and biomass and tackles issues ranging from his upbringing in New Orleans amidst oil refineries to national dependency on foreign oil. Well-intentioned though tonally uneven, Fuel flits rather abruptly from ironic, fast-paced montages to grave footage of national disasters, including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Never managing to strike a true balance between informing and entertaining, Tickell unfortunately mixes genuine interviews with force-fed, gung-ho Americana music of the John Mellencamp variety. Clichéd footage of him walking on the beach in slow motion as he struggles with a crisis of conscience doesn’t help matters either. Nonetheless, Fuel still emerges as an interesting array of interviews with academics, green collar laborers, and celebrities, like Sheryl Crowe and Richard Branson, who all unite under a common banner to reduce our carbon footprint. (Liesl Swanbeck)