New Showbiz

You are here:
Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise

Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise

2015

Director

Mark Cousins

Runtime

71 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Using only archive film and a new musical score by the band Mogwai, Mark Cousins presents an impressionistic kaleidoscope of our nuclear times – protest marches, Cold War sabre-rattling, Chernobyl and Fukishima – but also the sublime beauty of the atomic world, and how x-rays and MRI scans have improved human lives. The nuclear age has been a nightmare, but dreamlike too.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.6/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film does not center on LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative narratives. The archival footage focuses on geopolitical and scientific milestones rather than queer visibility.

Gender Representation

Fair

Women appear within the context of mid-20th-century patriarchal structures. The film observes these historical hierarchies without actively seeking to subvert them through character agency.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The narrative disrupts Anglo-centric history by including the consequences of nuclear proliferation in Japan. It provides a globalized perspective on how the atomic age affected diverse populations.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The documentary offers a post-colonial critique of power and Western institutions. It prioritizes global, secular existentialism over religious or nationalist exceptionalism.

Disability Representation

Fair

Representation is incidental, focusing on the biological consequences of radiation. It depicts bodily harm and chronic illness as systemic outcomes of nuclear technology.

Strengths

  • Disrupts Anglo-centric history by incorporating non-Western perspectives and the consequences of nuclear proliferation in Japan.
  • Employs a critical lens that challenges the morality of the military-industrial complex and capitalist frameworks.
  • Provides a globalized, secular view of existentialism rather than focusing on nationalist or religious exceptionalism.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks intentional focus on LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative gender narratives.
  • Reflects historical patriarchal hierarchies without actively subverting them through character agency.
  • Depicts disability and bodily harm as systemic outcomes rather than through individual agency or neurodivergent identity.

AI Analysis

Mark Cousins delivers a sophisticated, impressionistic critique of the nuclear age. The film succeeds by deconstructing Western-centric grand narratives and examining the global, often devastating, impact of atomic technology on diverse populations. While the documentary lacks intentional focus on identity-based representation, such as LGBTQ+ or gender-driven subversion, it excels in its cultural and racial analysis. It effectively challenges the morality of the military-industrial complex and capitalist frameworks. Ultimately, the film provides a fragmented, morally relativistic view of history. It moves beyond traditional biography to present a globalized perspective on the existential dread and scientific progress of the modern era.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.