If a crime is committed in order to prevent a greater crime, is it forgivable? Is it, in fact, necessary? “The Reluctant Radical” features activist Ken Ward as he confronts his fears and puts himself in the direct path of the fossil fuel industry to combat climate change. Ken breaks the law as a last resort and with great trepidation, to fulfill what he sees as his personal obligation to future generations. “The Reluctant Radical” follows Ken for a year and a half through a series of direct actions, culminating with his participation in the coordinated action to shut down all the U.S. tar sands oil pipelines on October 11, 2016. The film reveals both the personal costs and also the fulfillment that comes from following one’s moral calling – even if that means breaking the law. Ken Ward has no regrets, and his certainty leaves the audience to consider if he is out of touch with reality, or if it is the rest of society that is delusional for not acting when faced with the unsettling prospect that we are collectively destroying our world.
—Lindsey Grayzel