This was a really cool documentary. Technique and style wise, its pretty standard, sit down interviews mixed with active interviews. What really makes the movie is that it is informative and dramatic. The film picked a great subject with a lot of character. A strong point of the film is that it tries to be as fair as possible. The film always tires to show both side of the coin. One of the main aspect it tries to convey, it the process of how one ends up becoming such a radical. The film breaks down the perception of radicals being simply crazy or stupid and that the corporations that they attack are not all greedy money grubbers. I really like how the film also showed how the public would perceive them and how the media would shape the way viewer should see them.
The documentary really picked a great subject to the focal point. Even though the viewer doesn’t have to agree with his views, you have respect him and his conviction. When everyone else had folded in, he stayed strong and was willing to accept the consequences. I thought it was interesting on who the film interviewed. There was one individual that they really talked up and seemed to be the leader of the group didn’t show up in the film for a long time but then when he finally makes his appearance he was fat and disappointing. I think the reason why I was so disappointed in this man because the film built him up so high and then in the end he turned out to go so low.
I really the like artistic choice when there is the reenactment. The scratchy white image on a plain back drop really heightens the tension. The style gives a real surreal look which reflects the somewhat surreal reality of doing such an act.
Al in all it was a good film. It doesn’t try to convince you which view point is more valid but instead just tries to help you understand where others are coming from .
I haven’t had a chance to watch this film yet, but had planned on it and I’m looking forward to it even more after reading your thoughts on it. It sounds really interesting that they showed so many sides of the story, including various types of groups and peoples points of view on radicals, how they act and why they act the way they do. I’m very curious to know how they show the “process” someone goes through to become a radical. It’s also nice that it sounds like it doesn’t go to great lengths to convince the audience to believe only one view point. Instead it tries to show us where each side is coming from and allows us to decide our own view point. Thanks for the post Jonathan!
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