Exterminate All the Brutes: Season 1

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Universal acclaim based on 13 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 40 Ratings

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5.2

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5.2	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 40 Ratings

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Exterminate All The Brutes

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Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: April 7, 2021

Summary: The four-part documentary from Raoul Peck uses archival material as well as animated and dramatic scenes to explore the destructive history of European colonialism and its impact on today's world.

Genre(s): Movie/Mini-Series, Documentary

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Daniel D'Addario

Apr 7, 2021

The questing, curious way in which Peck brings together inquiries and observations and potent visuals makes for a powerful and immersive experience. ... Rather than referencing the present moment to a fault, Peck is working on a grand scale and a sort of geologic time, measuring our history in acts of cruelty. He does so with a visual imagination and an unblinking-ness that will leave those viewers who are up for the challenge dazzled and, perhaps, changed. Read full review

100

Stephen Robinson

Apr 9, 2021

The documentary feels fresh and current next to the ongoing debate over America’s past and iconography. ... What we do with the knowledge we gain from this amazing work is the question that Peck leaves unanswered. Read full review

100

Alissa Wilkinson

Apr 9, 2021

From a pure filmmaking perspective, Exterminate All the Brutes may be unparalleled among TV docuseries; the closest I can think of is the complexity and contextualization evident in the 2016 Oscar-winning 10-part series O.J.: Made in America. Peck doesn’t rely on tired visual tropes or techniques that would make it easy to just put on the show in the background while you’re doing something else. He demands our attention with wit, craft, and well-placed anger. Read full review

IndieWire Robert Daniels

Apr 7, 2021

More than 1,000 years of genocidal events are a lot to consume, but Peck creates a cohesive journey that shows how original sins manifest into present-day racial injustices. Read full review

Joel Keller

Apr 7, 2021

Despite starting off a bit all over the place, Raoul Peck’s Exterminate All The Brutes has a lot to say about a part of Western civilization’s history that absolutely needs to see the light of day. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Apr 6, 2021

The approach Peck takes in “Exterminate All the Brutes” is a thought-provoking and worthwhile and, yes, complex response. Read full review

Chris Vognar

Apr 7, 2021

“Exterminate All the Brutes” is a dense collage of ideas, words and images that doesn’t mind circling back to a previously made point. Were it on the page, rather than the screen, you might marvel at its audacity while at the same time wishing for a tighter edit. It moves, thanks largely to the savvy media criticism provided by the movie clips, but it’s in absolutely no hurry to get anywhere. Read full review

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User Reviews

hharvey102

Apr 17, 2021

This is the way history should be presented. Sadly, seeing the negative user reviews shows we are doomed despite such efforts to enlighten.

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

Cinemacriterion

Apr 9, 2021

This is a fantastic documentary and a must see for everyone. Bravo to everybody involved.

8 of 21 users found this helpful813

Thelog32

Apr 9, 2021

This is essential viewing. Plain and simple. No other group of people has created so much global havoc. The colonialist empire that spread from west from Europe and south from the United States is responsible for sustained atrocities that have lasted centuries. If you subscribe to theThis is essential viewing. Plain and simple. No other group of people has created so much global havoc. The colonialist empire that spread from west from Europe and south from the United States is responsible for sustained atrocities that have lasted centuries. If you subscribe to the ideologies of American exceptionalism or euro-centric exceptionalism then you will not like this series, as your entire world view is based on a lie. If you are open to trying to understand the complexity of our current global situation and how capital has been a catalyst for genocide then you will gain a lot out of what is here.… Expand

11 of 25 users found this helpful1114

lukamagic

Apr 16, 2021

The least self-aware documentary I have ever seen. Peck claims the white Europeans hypocritically demonized other peoples, and proceeds to do the exact same thing throughout the entire series.

2 of 9 users found this helpful27

GamingUnites

Apr 11, 2021

Whilst this 'documentary' (it's more of an opinion piece) crams many different parts of history into its episodes, it's unfortunately so hell-bent on constant, extreme vilification of Europe that it loses its ways on several occasions. It leads to the author contradicting himself, ignoringWhilst this 'documentary' (it's more of an opinion piece) crams many different parts of history into its episodes, it's unfortunately so hell-bent on constant, extreme vilification of Europe that it loses its ways on several occasions. It leads to the author contradicting himself, ignoring huge swathes of the global population and takes away the individuality and agency of pretty much everyone.

For example, he claims that early white populations were uncivilised and stupid but later says their superiority over the sub-Saharan nations was due to their ingenuity and advanced culture.

He tries to lead us to believe that persecutors and victims alike are simply helpless against fate and the happenstance of geographical features; the lands are ancestors originated in. This implies that we're all victims of chance and takes away the notion we are free-thinking and self-governing as a species.

Throughout all this, he cheerfully ignores the advanced civilisations that were present in Asia, the Middle-East AND Northern Africa that also exploited 'Black' Africa, instead focusing solely on 'white' people - presumably because they are the focus of his ire and the only real message is 'white people are evil'.

It's hard to take a documentary that ignores so much of the world and its contribution to advanced technologies seriously.

Lastly, he belabors points over and over, using unnecessary melodrama and grim voice overs. It's more like propaganda than academic research. For example, he'll espouse gravitas laden quotes such as, 'There are no alternate facts' even though it's mostly highly arguable opinions he's giving us. It's as if he feels the quotes mean something in and of themselves simply because they're so solemn sounding.

Simply put, this is a guilt-filled, middle-class white persons wet-dream of a documentary and will no doubt be praised to high heaven by the vast majority of critics and prove immensely popular among the young in particular. In a sense, it's the Emperor's New Clothes of documentaries; there's nothing to see here really but it'll be fashionable to cheer and applaud it like mad.

Oh, and he seems to really, REALLY dislike the Scots & the Irish.… Expand

12 of 21 users found this helpful129

metacritiqueur

Apr 12, 2021

HBO shows since 5 years = hate of the whites peoples. Every shows, you can verify. Madness.

9 of 27 users found this helpful918

Basyl

Aug 17, 2021

blatantly hateful rant against the "white" civilization passed as an HBO "documentary"

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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Seasons & Episodes

83

Series Overview
Season 1

83
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 7, 2021
- No episode information is currently available for this season