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The Ivory Game

Play trailer 1:42 Poster for The Ivory Game 2016 1h 52m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Ivory is a prized status symbol for middle-class Chinese, and poachers in pursuit of white gold are slaughtering African elephants in record numbers. Filmmakers went under cover for 16 months, infiltrating and documenting the deep-rooted corruption at the heart of the global ivory trafficking crisis.
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The Ivory Game

The Ivory Game

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Hard-hitting and ambitious to a fault, The Ivory Game serves as a fittingly urgent call to action against a looming threat against vulnerable wildlife and a fragile ecosystem.

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Critics Reviews

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Christy Lemire RogerEbert.com 11/04/2016
3/4
A documentary that plays with the gripping pacing and glossy production values of a suspenseful, international thriller. Go to Full Review Ken Jaworowski New York Times 11/03/2016
While more information on the animals and their ecosystems is needed, the stakes described here are immense, as is the sorrow over majestic creatures massacred only so that their tusks can be made into baubles. Go to Full Review Sheri Linden Los Angeles Times 11/03/2016
The cameras avoid the goriest angles of the mutilated animals, but the horror is amplified as the film moves from the savannas of Kenya and Tanzania to display windows in Hong Kong showcasing carved ivory curios. Go to Full Review David Bax Battleship Pretension 01/04/2021
Davidson and Ladkani spend too much time manufacturing intrigue in The Ivory Game. Their lack of focus gives the impression of a lack of confidence. That's going to make it difficult to change anyone's mind. Go to Full Review Jay Kuehner Cinema Scope 10/10/2017
It doesn't take an ethnography lab to unpack the vested power of a tusk, but perhaps a more rigorous empiricism (e.g., Farocki), while compromising box-office appeal, could better serve a more enduring agenda. Go to Full Review Glenn Dunks The Film Experience 01/03/2017
C+
...more or less derailed by a slavish devotion to a cinematic format that it is not suited to. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Violetta Darling Sep 27 it should have gotten a higher rating in the 90s were important issue but it's not a video game or anime or things like that. We Need To Care More. See more Sajana P @RT25344397 10/10/2023 the most glued to the screen i have been for a doco See more Gareth v @geewah 06/22/2023 An important doco that doesn't pretend to know all the answers and shines a light on to what is a cruel and greedy industry. See more 01/27/2020 A good doc re the ivory trade. It's sad to see animals being killed for monetary gain. You have to be some kind of psycho to be able to do that. See more 01/11/2020 Great stuff. It starts a bit slow but picks up shortly after the film begins. Very informative and entertaining . Highly recommend. See more 02/21/2018 Well rounded documentary that covers off both the poaching, and trading aspects. Quite a lot of characters though in the story results in a lot of repetition, perhaps more impactful if they'd gone for a more focused 60 minute documentary. See more Read all reviews
The Ivory Game

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Kief Davidson

Director

Richard Ladkani

Director

Prince William

Self

Kief Davidson

Producer

Wolfgang Knöpfler

Producer

Walter Kohler

Producer

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The Ivory Game

The Ivory Game: Trailer 1 The Ivory Game: Trailer 1 1:42 The Ivory Game: Featurette - Fighting the Trade The Ivory Game: Featurette - Fighting the Trade 2:38 The Ivory Game: Trailer 1 The Ivory Game: Trailer 1 1:43 View more videos
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The Ivory Game

The Ivory Game (2016) The Ivory Game (2016) The Ivory Game (2016) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ivory is a prized status symbol for middle-class Chinese, and poachers in pursuit of white gold are slaughtering African elephants in record numbers. Filmmakers went under cover for 16 months, infiltrating and documenting the deep-rooted corruption at the heart of the global ivory trafficking crisis.
Director
Kief Davidson, Richard Ladkani
Producer
Kief Davidson, Wolfgang Knöpfler, Walter Kohler
Production Co
Terra mater Factual Studios, Netflix
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 52m
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