State of Control

STATE OF CONTROL is a low budget but interesting documentary looking at China's incursions into modern-day Tibet and their constant suppression of dissent and heavy-handed approach to justice in the region. The main stars are a couple of American documentary film-makers who begin their documentary by looking at the subject from an American viewpoint, interviewing mixed race students and the like, before heading off on a trip to China to see the story for themselves. I think it's fair to comment that this documentary's shortcomings are more than apparent. Throwing in news clips of Hilary Clinton and the like don't really add much to the experience and some proper voice over narration to tie everything together would have really helped. The scenes shot in America with their student focus are oddly irrelevant although the subject matter remains interesting and the stuff about hacking is really intriguing. Where STATE OF CONTROL gets good is in documenting the trip to China. All starts off well, but then the conspiracy stuff gets underway and it becomes gripping. Guides randomly disappear, technology is hacked, and one of the directors is even drugged in a shocking and frightening moment. Had the whole of the documentary focused more on this unique experience it would have been truly gripping, but as it stands it's still well worth a watch for those with an interest in Chinese politics.

STATE OF CONTROL is a low budget but interesting documentary looking at China's incursions into modern-day Tibet and their constant suppression of dissent and heavy-handed approach to justice in the region. The main stars are a couple of American documentary film-makers who begin their documentary by looking at the subject from an American viewpoint, interviewing mixed race students and the like, before heading off on a trip to China to see the story for themselves. I think it's fair to comment that this documentary's shortcomings are more than apparent. Throwing in news clips of Hilary Clinton and the like don't really add much to the experience and some proper voice over narration to tie everything together would have really helped. The scenes shot in America with their student focus are oddly irrelevant although the subject matter remains interesting and the stuff about hacking is really intriguing. Where STATE OF CONTROL gets good is in documenting the trip to China. All starts off well, but then the conspiracy stuff gets underway and it becomes gripping. Guides randomly disappear, technology is hacked, and one of the directors is even drugged in a shocking and frightening moment. Had the whole of the documentary focused more on this unique experience it would have been truly gripping, but as it stands it's still well worth a watch for those with an interest in Chinese politics.