When you’re the largest retailer in the world, you’re bound to attract a few detractors. Wal-Mart, the über-discount chain with a GDP higher than most countries and a telecommunications infrastructure second only to the Pentagon, is no stranger to criticism. Human rights violations, monopolistic practises, cultural imperialism — if a charge has been levelled against capitalism in general, it’s also been levelled against the happy-face emblazoned big-boxes that epitomize Adam Smith’s free enterprise ideals.

Add the National Film Board of Canada to that list of critics. Its documentary Wal-Town, screens this week as part of the Arusha Centre’s Action Film Series. Although its official subject is a group of six student protesters travelling across Canada to raise awareness of Wal-Mart’s dark side, the film makes its stance fairly obvious. The obligatory interview with a Wal-Mart official aside, the monolithic chain is portrayed as a necessary evil at best, a case made more believable by the myriad statistics that serve as scene transitions.

As for the students, they’re a perfect example of both the idealism and the naivety of young activists. As they travel across the country, the group is genuinely surprised that trying to hand out pamphlets is generally met with either apathy or hostility, and watching the public’s indifference can be outright frustrating. Move beyond that frustration by taking part in the discussion after the screening, which will feature speakers on both globalization and Alberta’s living wage campaign.