Amazon.com The heroes of this documentary may be not great athletes or adventurers, but the courage, dedication, and ingenuity they have shown in their quest to improve the environment is awe-inspiring. The Hudson Riverkeepers begins with footage from a 1966 television special, The Majestic, Polluted Hudson. It's a shock to be transported back to a time when millions of lifeless fish floated on the river's surface and its shores were dumping grounds for dead cars and industrial waste. But the film quickly takes an uplifting turn. Against all odds, a handful of ordinary citizens--fishermen whose families had made their living from the river for generations--fought back and reclaimed their beloved Hudson, eventually making it cleaner than at any time during the industrial age. The movie includes fascinating interviews with some of the people who have been instrumental in this process. Hudson River keeper James Cronin, charged with monitoring the health of the river, likens his situation to the tale of David and Goliath. Cronin, in his tiny skiff, takes on humongous Exxon tankers. Robert Kennedy Jr., chief prosecuting attorney for Hudson Riverkeeper, Inc., is compelling as he speaks about the work he's doing for the organization; he feels he is carrying out the legacy of his famous, martyred father. Also included is an edifying history of the Hudson going back to Colonial America. Viewers who care about the environment, and/or about fishing, will find this movie exhilarating and enlightening. --Laura Mirsky
