The documentary is already rated as one of the year’s best films.
Lies, terror, fake news, fear, radicalism and the alt-right.
No, this isn’t Trump’s America but rather the climate that existed on April 19, 1995 as the world was about to witness one of the worst terrorist attacks in American history.
On that infamous day, Timothy McVeigh, a former soldier that was deeply influenced by the literature and ideas of the radical right, parked a Ryder truck with a five-ton fertilizer bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City.
Moments later, 168 people were killed and 675 were injured in the blast.
In the documentary Oklahoma City, Barak Goodman depicts the horrific events that unfolded in harrowing detail. Prior to this act of terror, tensions were already running high in American society as citizens clashed with law enforcement agents at Ruby Ridge and Waco.
In this atmosphere of division and anger, McVeigh committed the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history.
In terms of its release date, the themes and issues that are explored in the documentary are still incredibly poignant.
In their review, The Daily Beast noted that “Goodman’s gripping documentary ultimately comes across as a history lesson with all-too-relevant insights to impart — and warnings to scream — about our forthcoming Trumpian America”.
This point is echoed by the LA Times who said that Oklahoma City is “a chilling documentary that firmly positions McVeigh not as some delusional loner but rather as a product of a far-right subculture that looked on the U.S. federal government as one of the most dangerous forces on the face of the Earth.”
Given the all too apparent and virulent strain of anti-government hostility that’s currently prevalent in US society, it’s clear that the events portrayed in Oklahoma City are as relevant today as they were 22 years ago.
The film currently has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the review aggregator website Metacritic have already ranked it as one the best films released in 2017.
Here’s the trailer.
Clip via – Movieclips Film Festivals & Indie Films
