Where to Invade Next

If a person happened to stumble upon a documentary and watch it without any preconceived notions, it’s certainly possible that it could slightly alter their worldview, and cause them to see a situation in an entirely new light. The documentaries of Michael Moore don’t quite have that power of surprise; they have the quality and curse of being classed as mainstream entertainment, with an ensuing wide cinema release in many international territories. As such, those who go to his films are often looking for (and receive) a reinforcement of what they already suspect.

His new film Where to Invade Next offers a mild departure from his earlier efforts such as Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 in that, while his fire is still present, he’s far more amiable than in his previous works. The film shows Moore as he offers himself to the Pentagon as a type of replacement for the traditional military for any planned future invasions. Instead of invading to unseat a foreign despot, or whatever spin might have been put on such a thing, Moore instead seeks to invade countries and appropriate their social schemes for use in the US. Naturally, it’s all speculative, and is actually an incredibly simplistic idea. This doesn’t mean that the film is not a fascinating watch, still posing pertinent (if easy) questions.

There is a sprinkling of America-bashing, which is not really a revelation in a Michael Moore movie. But so much of what he queries is is legitimate. Why do French children receive high-quality nutritious school lunches while their American counterparts receive preservative-laden food prepared in an industrial kitchen, followed by a fizzy drink that probably exceeds the recommended daily sugar intake for an adult?

The film poses these easy questions that receive no definitive answers, but this does not detract from the overall impact (and enjoyment) of Moore’s very reasons for asking these questions. Where to Invade Next shows a slightly softer Moore, which is one of the key reasons it differs from his earlier films. Still, his new offering remains true to the firmly-established brand.

Oliver Johnston

Where to Invade Next does not have a UK release date yet.

Watch the trailer for Where to Invade Next here: