Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan

If Watermark does nothing else, it will make you question society's contradictory view of water use.

Variety by Peter Debruge

Despite the staggering range of material Watermark manages to present — Burtynsky’s five-year undertaking is certainly the most encompassing survey any one artist has ever dedicated to the subject — it’s still just the tip of the metaphorical iceberg.

Wall Street Journal by Joe Morgenstern

Here's a case of images in the service of important ideas, rather than entertainment, yet they could hardly be more powerful, from roaring torrents released by a dam in China to a lyrical helicopter shot of a glistening river in British Columbia.

The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis

Always arresting and sometimes troubling, Watermark — aside from the odd comment here and there — neither lectures nor argues.

Boston Globe by Ty Burr

Watermark feels less focused than “Manufactured Landscapes.” While it presents us with awful and/or awe-inspiring images and ideas, the movie lacks the tightening grip that made the earlier work so unforgettable.

Slant Magazine by Kenji Fujishima

By keeping explanatory talking-heads interviews to a minimum, the filmmakers put their trust in the audience to draw their own conclusions based on what they present to us.

San Francisco Chronicle by Walter Addiego

The documentary Watermark is close to the cinematic equivalent of a coffee-table book. It relies heavily on visuals and offers minimal context. The project has a pro-environment feeling, which comes across implicitly, not through browbeating or preaching.

The Dissolve by Mike D'Angelo

There’s a difference between an exhibition of one photographer’s work and a speedy tour of a museum’s entire photography wing, and Watermark feels more like the latter, despite Burtynsky’s involvement.

Empire by Patrick Peters

Beautiful to look at but lacking a strong point.

The Guardian by Mike McCahill

It’s not as focused as its predecessor, but its best sequences rehydrate the mind.

The A.V. Club by Nick Schager

Unfortunately, while the documentary’s points are clear, its desire to articulate them primarily through contrasts neuters some of its persuasiveness.

Washington Post by Stephanie Merry

It’s as if the movie’s many pieces are supposed to be like impressionistic brush strokes. When seen together, the result is pretty to look at. But it’s not as meaningful as it should be.

Village Voice by Chuck Wilson

Watermark is a documentary filled with images both beautiful and wrenching, yet the film as a whole is a disappointment.