A gripping real-life environmental and legal thriller following Indigenous Ecuadorian communities as they take on Chevron (formerly Texaco) for dumping over 16 billion gallons of toxic waste into the Amazon rainforest. Directed by Joe Berlinger, the film captures the intensity of the class-action lawsuit brought by tens of thousands of Amazonian plaintiffs, calling it the “Amazon Chernobyl.”

The story centers on human rights attorney Steven Donziger, who helped win a $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron in Ecuadorian court in 2011. Instead of paying, Chevron launched a brutal counterattack: it pulled assets out of Ecuador, filed a RICO case in U.S. court, and relied on a key witness who later admitted to lying under oath and being paid by Chevron. Donziger was eventually charged with contempt for refusing to turn over privileged client data. When federal prosecutors declined to take the case, a private law firm with Chevron ties was appointed. Donziger spent over two years under house arrest before being sentenced to prison for a misdemeanor. The U.N. later ruled his detention violated international law.

Meanwhile, the communities continue to fight. Legal teams are pursuing enforcement in Canada, Argentina, and Brazil, with the Canadian Supreme Court affirming their right to do so. Much of the land remains contaminated, and health crises persist—but grassroots organizing continues. The Amazon Defense Coalition leads efforts for cleanup, justice, and global solidarity with frontline communities.

Crude is a must-watch for climate justice and human rights advocates. It’s a case study in how corporations weaponize the legal system—and how communities resist with courage and clarity.

The film is appropriate for older teens and adults.