Written and directed by Mark Shapiro, co-directed by Douglas Brian Miller and co-written by Warren Etheredge. Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Mercury, Nevada? The latter was the site for the testing of 928 large-scale nuclear weapons from 1951 to 1992. Martin Sheen narrates this exposé of the United States’ disregard for everyone living ‘downwind’. Starring: Lewis Black, Mary Dickson, Patrick Wayne, Ian Zabarte and Michael Douglas.
Despite the fact that the creation, use and testing of nuclear weapons has had far reaching and genuinely horrific results, the focus typically remains on the short term. There have only been a few films touching on the long term impact, Richland and Mothers of the Revolution are great examples, and now joining them is Downwind. Even the opening facts are horrendous but one of the main things it touches upon is how governments rely on their decisions damaging only those that they deem of less value to them.
It portrays not only how little the government was concerned by the damage that they were doing to the health of entire communities, but how they even tried to convince people that the radiation wasn’t harmful. It’s great to hear about it from people who were directly impacted, not simply experts. It adds a bigger personal touch, and it’s harrowing to follow such a long chain of loss and grief. It also takes a look it at from the commercial side with Michael Douglas and John Wayne’s son Patrick Wayne, delving into the very different ways film collided with nuclear testing and disasters.
However, it feels like it would be better suited to those freshly approaching the subject. There’s a slightly repetitive nature to the way that it explores the information. Doing things with a lot of back and forth rather than giving each topic its own separate moment, to dig a bit deeper. It does feel as though there was room to cover more ground, rather than touching upon a lot of the same. Visually, it’s hitting all the right notes but it’s solidly following the playbook.
Downwind gives you the opportunity to hear about the devastating long-term impact of nuclear testing and the government’s shocking indifference. It can feel like it’s treading some of the same ground and while its personal testimonials are moving, the rest is quite familiar. There’s a great mix of talking heads and if you’re going into it knowing little on the subject, there’s plenty of shocking and compelling facts to learn.
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