If you’ve ever posted a cute dog video while biting into a burger, this doc might make that scroll feel very different.
Joaquin Phoenix narrates.
We first noticed “Earthlings” in Benjamin Dzialdowski’s BuzzFeed list of 17 Documentaries To Get Stuck Into That Range From Disturbing AF To Genuinely Inspiring.
Trailer for “Earthlings”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Joaquin Phoenix narrates undercover footage from a Los Angeles puppy mill where 500 dogs were crammed into a single trailer. There are dead puppies rotting beside terrified mothers too exhausted to nurse their newborns.
- A South Korean fur farm raid was captured on hidden camera. Workers clamped wires to dog’s genitals. They screamed and convulsed for up to 10 minutes before dying.
- Then they were tortured with electric prods and waterboarding until their throats were slit.
Watch “Earthlings”
You can watch “Earthlings” for free on YouTube: here.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 92/100 (Users); not yet rated (Critics)
Director’s Note: Shaun Monson directed this independently funded project after years of collecting undercover footage from animal industry investigations. Joaquin Phoenix narrates with a calm, almost detached tone. Moby (a longtime animal rights advocate) keeps the film feeling like a slow, dark march instead of a standard TV “exposé.”
Release Date: 2005
My Review of “Earthlings”
The Setup
The doc is structured in five chapters: pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research. Each chapter shows how animals are bred, confined, mutilated, and killed to serve human wants—not needs, according to the filmmakers.
There are no celebrity interviews. No debate panels. No opposing voices. It’s mostly just footage. Raw and relentless.
More Highlights from the Doc
- The pet industry section argues that many animals sold through retail channels come from large-scale breeding operations, not small hobby breeders, and it shows what “high volume” looks like up close.
- The factory farming section is the core of the film: animals packed into tight spaces, injured animals left without treatment, and workers using violence as routine “handling.”
- The clothing segment focuses on fur and leather, showing animals confined in wire cages and then killed for materials that often end up as “trim” or accessories.
- The entertainment chapter hits rodeos, circuses, and other “shows,” framing them as suffering repackaged as family fun.
- The research chapter moves into lab testing—animals restrained, experimented on, and disposed of—while questioning what society calls “necessary” versus “convenient.”
Cameos
This one doesn’t really do talking-head celebrity cameos. The closest thing is the star power behind the tone: Joaquin Phoenix’s narration and Moby’s music. The film relies on what you’re seeing, not who’s commenting on it.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- The film’s main idea is “speciesism”—the belief that one species (humans) is allowed to exploit another just because it can. The doc draws parallels to how societies have justified racism and sexism.
- A big part of what makes the footage feel different is the hidden-camera perspective: you’re not watching a polished segment. You’re watching what people do when they think no one is watching.
- The structure is designed to widen the net: it starts with “pets” (the most relatable) and then expands into food, fashion, fun, and science—showing how many parts of normal life depend on animal suffering.
Wrap Up:
“Earthlings” is a confrontation. Whether you agree with its message or not, you will not forget it.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc