
The Dissident
2020

2018
Not RatedDirector
Sam Hobkinson, Havana Marking
Runtime
84 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
In full-on investigative mode, reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Hollywood Reporter doggedly pursue the story of US $3.5 billion missing from a Malaysian wealth fund. They trace the dirty money, via real estate deals and movie financing, back to the top tiers of the Malaysian government. Incredibly (but oh, how fitting!), the audacious swindlers chose to back the 2014 blockbuster The Wolf of Wall Street. Hollywood A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio, attended lavish parties hosted to launch the film. The embezzlement was orchestrated by a flamboyant fancier, Jho Low, and Riza Aziz, the stepson of the then-Malaysian Prime Minister. As the truth finally comes to light, assets are frozen and the fall-out begins.
Overall Score
Fair
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film does not feature narratives or character arcs centered on LGBTQ+ identities. There is no evidence of representation or derogatory tropes within the subject matter.
Gender Representation
The documentary focuses primarily on male figures of influence like Jho Low and Riza Aziz. It deconstructs patriarchal leadership by exposing how male-dominated political hierarchies were leveraged for systemic theft.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The film disrupts Western-centric investigative narratives by centering a non-Western political crisis. It provides high agency to Malaysian figures, avoiding the 'developing nation' victim trope through a sophisticated, multi-polar view.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The narrative offers a scathing critique of Western financial systems and global capitalism. It highlights how Hollywood was used as a vehicle for money laundering, framing Western commercial interests as complicit.
Disability Representation
There is no discernible focus on disability, neurodivergence, or chronic illness within the documentary's subject matter.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
The documentary excels by shifting the investigative gaze away from Anglo-centric perspectives. By centering the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia, it provides a complex view of global power and sophisticated international crime. However, the film is limited by its genre-specific focus on financial crime. The lack of LGBTQ+ and disability representation results in a lower mathematical average despite the strong cultural critique. Ultimately, the film succeeds in challenging Western economic hegemony. It portrays the pursuit of wealth as a destabilizing force that transcends national borders and traditional morality.

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