I approached this film from the perspective of a native Oklahoman, harsh judge of outlandish claims and dedicated purveyor of the expository genre. Some internet homework on the credits reveal the makers of the film to be a group of libertarian activists and internet radio hounds in OKC whose previous work consisted mainly of YouTube videos whose quality ranged from mediocre to somewhat promising.
Given that, I was preparing myself for a choppy video (with a bomb soundtrack of course) of ranting wingnuts, "confrontations," and a montage of every single news clip that could be taken out of context regarding the bombing.
The opening scene betrayed the filmmakers' ambition to be taken seriously, and it was well done enough that I was ready to give them a chance. The film quickly delves into the official story of the bombing, with appropriate halts to register the emotional pain accompanying such dry regurgitation of facts.
What becomes increasingly clear as the story progresses is that the rumors and obscure blurbs that seemed to confuse the official story have a solid basis in provable fact. The narration is kept to a minimum, and the players and witnesses are allowed to tell their stories.
This being Free Mind Films' first documentary (and seemingly lack of professional credentials), I was suitably impressed enough by the quality of production that I quickly forgot my earlier bias. It is obvious that the filmmakers were learning as they went. You can almost time code the learning curve as they gained control of the story. But this is forgivable, especially for a debut production.
What is demonstrated in this film is that the official story of the OKC bombing is a lie, and that certain powerful officials are invested in the cover-up. Thankfully, the film does not slam home a concrete conclusion, but rather leaves it open for one to consume and digest what materiel one can.
I have rarely been as stunned, and forced into submission regarding my previous position, as this film left me. It would be hard to put into words the magnitude of the implications of that the evidence reveals. It left me near enraged. At the perpetrators who got away, at the government for covering it up and at myself for being so ignorant of what happened in my hometown.
Call me a zealot now, but this film accomplishes what so many can only aspire to: changing the way the audience views the world, and enlarging their perspective.
Given that, I was preparing myself for a choppy video (with a bomb soundtrack of course) of ranting wingnuts, "confrontations," and a montage of every single news clip that could be taken out of context regarding the bombing.
The opening scene betrayed the filmmakers' ambition to be taken seriously, and it was well done enough that I was ready to give them a chance. The film quickly delves into the official story of the bombing, with appropriate halts to register the emotional pain accompanying such dry regurgitation of facts.
What becomes increasingly clear as the story progresses is that the rumors and obscure blurbs that seemed to confuse the official story have a solid basis in provable fact. The narration is kept to a minimum, and the players and witnesses are allowed to tell their stories.
This being Free Mind Films' first documentary (and seemingly lack of professional credentials), I was suitably impressed enough by the quality of production that I quickly forgot my earlier bias. It is obvious that the filmmakers were learning as they went. You can almost time code the learning curve as they gained control of the story. But this is forgivable, especially for a debut production.
What is demonstrated in this film is that the official story of the OKC bombing is a lie, and that certain powerful officials are invested in the cover-up. Thankfully, the film does not slam home a concrete conclusion, but rather leaves it open for one to consume and digest what materiel one can.
I have rarely been as stunned, and forced into submission regarding my previous position, as this film left me. It would be hard to put into words the magnitude of the implications of that the evidence reveals. It left me near enraged. At the perpetrators who got away, at the government for covering it up and at myself for being so ignorant of what happened in my hometown.
Call me a zealot now, but this film accomplishes what so many can only aspire to: changing the way the audience views the world, and enlarging their perspective.