Written by John Edward Betancourt  What is truly fascinating about documentary films, is that they more or less qualify as outright cinema. Because while you are indeed learning something unique about our world when you settle in to watch a documentary, at the same time, you’re also enjoying a carefully crafted story. One that is designed to guide you toward the lessons in question and entertain you and wow you along the way and truth be told, there’s nothing wrong with that. Simply because it makes learning fun and, in this instance, memorable. And this formula is so effective in opening up our minds to the wonders of the world that it is likely here to stay. However, while a vast majority of documentary filmmakers hold true to that particular structure, there are still a few out there that are eager to remove notions of storytelling from this type of motion picture, so that they can present the world in the raw and explore elements that few documentaries will ever go near. And it just so happens that AppleTV+ is releasing a documentary tomorrow that accomplishes this goal. Which makes Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds a supremely unique documentary for certain. One that actually manages to lull the audience into the belief that they are about to enjoy the status quo when they first tune in. For Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer truly make it seem as though this movie is going to explore in great detail, the wonder of meteorites, and the science surrounding them. But it doesn’t take long for the viewer to realize that Herzog and Oppenheimer have a different idea in mind. For their voyage around the world looks at something supremely different when it comes these visitors from the void, in that… these gentlemen, in part, want to explore our love affair with space, and they accomplish that particular goal by offering up some unique interviews with some supremely unique individuals. In fact, we spend a lot of time with everyday people in this tale, who are eager to discuss what their encounters with meteorites mean to them and how they excite them and that really is something quite different for a documentary. Because these segments are light on learning and heavy on the human experience and the majesty of this only grows as this documentary continues along.  Clive Oppenheimer (right) and Simon Schaffer (left) from the University of Cambridge. Because eventually, Werner and Clive make it abundantly clear that they also want this documentary to be an outright celebration… of wonder. For everyone that we meet, and everywhere that we go, relates to that word and everything that it stands for, and it is quite fascinating to witness and outright feel the joy that their interview subjects experience, when they think about outer space. Because these fine gentlemen capture it on camera every single time, they sit down with someone, and celebrating the wonder of others only helps to add to the visceral experience of this documentary. Since wonder and joy are infectious to say the least and the viewer definitely feels it growing as this story continues along and Werner and Clive deserve some serious credit for making it a focal point here, since it is a bold decision to prioritize that over detailed lessons.
But while it is delightful to know that you’re going to be privy to emotional stories from individuals who view the heavens in a vastly different light than the rest of us, there is indeed some learning to be found in this particular documentary. For Werner and Clive do visit some important institutions during the course of their journey, the kind that not only store a seemingly endless supply of visitors from the void, but also work to protect us from the bigger threats out in space. The ones that could alter the course of our planet’s history and life, as they have before, and they also spend time with some of the individuals that study meteorites in the field and while these segments of the story feel far more traditional, Werner and Clive still manage to find a way to put their interview subjects’ passion for this subject matter on display, in order to give this entire documentary an organic feel. In the end however, this really is quite the engaging documentary. In large part because it breaks from the norm to offer up a vastly different perspective upon space and our relationship with it, but also because… it’s a hauntingly beautiful story when all is said and done. For asteroids and meteorites are forces of outright nature, the kind that tend to cause great harm, and their ominous and devastating power are celebrated here in the most unique way imaginable. Since Werner and Clive work to make it abundantly clear, that their presence and their strength serve to remind the audience to cherish our world and every moment that we are given, since the heavens could rob us of them at any moment. Either way, this really is quite the distinctive viewing experience for certain, since documentaries this philosophical and energetic are rare, but this one pulls all of that off in an engaging manner. So, if you’re looking to get lost in a dynamic documentary unlike any other, then do check this one out when it arrives on November 13, 2020 on AppleTV.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
March 2025
|
RSS Feed