This is a fairly straightforward record of the events of January 6, pieced together from a variety of sources and narrated by interviews with those who were there - rioters, police, reporters, politicians. The film doesn't really reveal anything new or surprising about January 6, but it does serve as a revealing record of possibly the dumbest insurrection in history. They stormed the Capitol with no real plan - just because Trump told them to. Some believed the election had been rigged or stolen, but they had zero evidence, and had ignored all the evidence that there was no irregularity, no "steal". Some spout dopey beliefs about children being kidnaped and tortured, again with no evidence. Once inside the Capitol, they take selfies, smoke weed, wander aimlessly and are led away from the Senate chamber by one wily security officer - because they were too dumb to even check the layout of the building before storming it. Ultimately, they achieved nothing, other than shaming themselves and their nation. All in all, it's a wonder these yokels managed to catch the right bus or train, or take the right freeway to get to Washington in the first place. Yes, the US is deeply divided, and those divisions led to the insurrection, riot, attempted coup, or whatever you want to call it. But the US needs to face the fact that - besides being a nation divided - this was an insurrection born of rank stupidity.
47 Reviews
The Republic teeters
paul2001sw-124 October 2021
If, in a country of several hundred million, a few thousand fiercely dispute the legitimacy of the government, you might think the country isn't actually doing too badly. But a few thousand people, if sufficiently determined, can do a whole lot of damage. But orderly government is usually possible because the dissenters understand the futility of trying to force their way. But Donald Trump, an incumbent President who lost his re-election, proceded to tell his followers the election had been stolen and moreover, that they could do something about it. Eventually, some of them violently stormed the U. S. legislature. This documentary shows what happened. On one hand, it shows just a little of the context: we see Trump's last speach to the rioters, but not how he tried to persistently de-ligitimise the election result. We also get a lot of interviews with the rioters themselves, who are allowed to self-justify at excessive length. But we do also get a lot of film of the event, which shows clearly the true horror of what unfolded. However much the protesters claim to have simply been exerting their rights, it's clear that their actions, whatever their individual motivations, amounted in total to a full-on attack on the U. S. government. In the end, order was restored, but Trump was never held to account. And the worrying thing is that tyrants have throughout history seized power through the incitement of the mob. It's hard to avoid concluding that the modern Republican party has not decided to take the side of tyranny over democracy, which does not bode at all well for the future.
Anarchy In The U.S.A.
Lejink21 October 2021
I remember watching the live news coverage of the storming of the Capitol Building on January 6th as it was relayed on TV late at night into my home. It seemed incredible that such a thing was actually happening in the perceived great bastion of Western Democracy, but there it was, in front of my own eyes, a large mob taking over the American parliament during the session at which the recent election result was to be ratified, confirming the end of Donald Trump's highly controversial presidency.
As the day begins, we hear Trump's address to his followers, promoting his belief that the election had been fixed against him and encouraging his supporters to march to "stop the steal" to coin his own phrase. And so a massive crowd estimated at 15000, from different parts of the country gathered to make their dissent known to their own lawmakers. Meanwhile, of course, Trump was out on the golf-course and besides the provocative speeches he'd made since the dusputed election count, had already stated he wouldn't do the traditional thing and attend new president Biden's inauguration ceremony...talk about lighting the fuse and then turning away!
This gripping 90 minute documentary showed what happened at first hand that day with mobile phone, police body-cam and interior CCTV footage showing the rioters' violent rampage into the once-hallowed building, overrunning in the process the thinly-spread official police protection on duty that day. Chronicled as it happened, with contributions from all sides of the divide, this was riveting to watch as the viewer is effectively given a box-seat at the heart of the action. There is actual footage shown of the shooting of the female insurgent although surprisingly nothing of the widely publicised break-In to the office of the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
At one point, I was actually reminded of nothing so much as the famous defence at Thermopylae by the 300 Spartans as the police strove man and woman-fully to hold back the teeming mob intent on entry and causing them harm in the process. This contrasted with the cowardly use of improvised weaponry and sheer weight of numbers the protesters employed against the building's defenders. We get verité accounts from some of the acting police personnel, none more arresting than that from the obviously tough, army-hardened officer who was dragged out of his position and who feared he was about to be lynched. Beaten and tasered, he miraculously survived, but in a telling statistic, six other of his fellow-officers who fought a brave rearguard action alongside him, were revealed to have committed suicide as a result of the trauma suffered, although the balancing point was made that about the same number of attackers had also died that fateful day.
It was amazing and not a little outrageous to hear the assorted ragbag of marchers justifying their actions. Absolutely no respect was shown for the building, its staff, politicians and by extension its symbolism of democracy to the people. Contrast this with the commentaries by the building's office staff, senators and security staff, many of whom feared for their lives. I personally believe that it's impossible to absolve Trump from at least some blame in this sorry incident which shamed a nation.
I felt the film at times tried too hard to balance up the opposing views, allowing some of the MAGA interviewees to promote their own agenda with some incredibly blinkered views. The camera doesn't lie however and this was mob-rule in action, at times genuinely distressing and frightening to watch, it did almost seem as if a coup was under way.
Thank goodness law and order was eventually restored but at what cost to the democratic ideal of the United States of America...
As the day begins, we hear Trump's address to his followers, promoting his belief that the election had been fixed against him and encouraging his supporters to march to "stop the steal" to coin his own phrase. And so a massive crowd estimated at 15000, from different parts of the country gathered to make their dissent known to their own lawmakers. Meanwhile, of course, Trump was out on the golf-course and besides the provocative speeches he'd made since the dusputed election count, had already stated he wouldn't do the traditional thing and attend new president Biden's inauguration ceremony...talk about lighting the fuse and then turning away!
This gripping 90 minute documentary showed what happened at first hand that day with mobile phone, police body-cam and interior CCTV footage showing the rioters' violent rampage into the once-hallowed building, overrunning in the process the thinly-spread official police protection on duty that day. Chronicled as it happened, with contributions from all sides of the divide, this was riveting to watch as the viewer is effectively given a box-seat at the heart of the action. There is actual footage shown of the shooting of the female insurgent although surprisingly nothing of the widely publicised break-In to the office of the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
At one point, I was actually reminded of nothing so much as the famous defence at Thermopylae by the 300 Spartans as the police strove man and woman-fully to hold back the teeming mob intent on entry and causing them harm in the process. This contrasted with the cowardly use of improvised weaponry and sheer weight of numbers the protesters employed against the building's defenders. We get verité accounts from some of the acting police personnel, none more arresting than that from the obviously tough, army-hardened officer who was dragged out of his position and who feared he was about to be lynched. Beaten and tasered, he miraculously survived, but in a telling statistic, six other of his fellow-officers who fought a brave rearguard action alongside him, were revealed to have committed suicide as a result of the trauma suffered, although the balancing point was made that about the same number of attackers had also died that fateful day.
It was amazing and not a little outrageous to hear the assorted ragbag of marchers justifying their actions. Absolutely no respect was shown for the building, its staff, politicians and by extension its symbolism of democracy to the people. Contrast this with the commentaries by the building's office staff, senators and security staff, many of whom feared for their lives. I personally believe that it's impossible to absolve Trump from at least some blame in this sorry incident which shamed a nation.
I felt the film at times tried too hard to balance up the opposing views, allowing some of the MAGA interviewees to promote their own agenda with some incredibly blinkered views. The camera doesn't lie however and this was mob-rule in action, at times genuinely distressing and frightening to watch, it did almost seem as if a coup was under way.
Thank goodness law and order was eventually restored but at what cost to the democratic ideal of the United States of America...
Multi-view perspective
V-Koger21 October 2021
If you were not at the Capitol.on January 6th, this documentary will make you feel like you were.
Presented chronologically on that day, it's honest, real, and gripping.
Recommend for anyone interested in seeing and hearing the experiences of many points of view, and the real life consequences.
Presented chronologically on that day, it's honest, real, and gripping.
Recommend for anyone interested in seeing and hearing the experiences of many points of view, and the real life consequences.
America's Embarrassment
LaDolceVita6023 October 2021
I could care less about your political beliefs but what happened to these police officers was disgraceful. Americans attacking officers just doing their jobs. I cried watching Michael Fanone getting dragged into the crowd and tasered. I hope these terrorists are served justice. I watched this happen live but this documentary was able to bring it all together.
We do not love you, you are not special
rickyspanish1417 February 2022
An eye-opening documentary about the events that occurred during the capital insurrection. Every single American citizen should watch this unfiltered film of the violent protests that were, without any doubt, incited by Donald Trump. The coordination between the interviews with both capital police, congressmen, and rioters with the video footage captured that day was very well done. On one final note... to the criminals at the capital that day... We do not love you, you are not special.
Frightening footage
sherryk-4223625 October 2021
I think some of the 1 star reviews by Trump supporters didn't even watch this. One asked how the protestors got past the police without weapons, if you watch, you see exactly how.
This showed a lot of cell phone videos and body cam footage that I never saw on the news. How anyone can say this was peaceful is insane. I cried as they pulled an officer through the crowd and repeatedly hit and tazed him.
To the ones saying it is all biased, if it were truly biased it would not have shown interviews with the protestors themselves.
This showed a lot of cell phone videos and body cam footage that I never saw on the news. How anyone can say this was peaceful is insane. I cried as they pulled an officer through the crowd and repeatedly hit and tazed him.
To the ones saying it is all biased, if it were truly biased it would not have shown interviews with the protestors themselves.
Glossy but, sadly, unbalanced work
nhoogs19 February 2022
The video work on this production was very good -- dramatic and extraordinarily clear -- but it and the accompanying interviews were less informative than they could've been.
Perhaps there were good logistical reasons that such a disproportionate number of anti-Trump interviews dominated the film's commentary. Many viewers may be satisfied by that perspective, but it fails to help us understand exactly how such a monstrous protest unfolded and what might have been done to manage it.
If the documentary was intended to depict the suffering of members of the Capitol police, it was largely successful, but I suspect the documentarian sought a broader truth and in that, she largely failed. Inclusion of some thoughtful analysis or explanation by someone sympathetic to the protestors would have been very helpful, and, in my view, necessary to balance the film.
Still, I greatly appreciate the inclusion of so much captured-in-real-time video -- a feat I find unprecedented to date.
Now, if we can just find a way to review some of the rest of the reported 14,000 hours of on-site video, we may be even better informed about the events and motivations of that fateful day.
Perhaps there were good logistical reasons that such a disproportionate number of anti-Trump interviews dominated the film's commentary. Many viewers may be satisfied by that perspective, but it fails to help us understand exactly how such a monstrous protest unfolded and what might have been done to manage it.
If the documentary was intended to depict the suffering of members of the Capitol police, it was largely successful, but I suspect the documentarian sought a broader truth and in that, she largely failed. Inclusion of some thoughtful analysis or explanation by someone sympathetic to the protestors would have been very helpful, and, in my view, necessary to balance the film.
Still, I greatly appreciate the inclusion of so much captured-in-real-time video -- a feat I find unprecedented to date.
Now, if we can just find a way to review some of the rest of the reported 14,000 hours of on-site video, we may be even better informed about the events and motivations of that fateful day.
Great insight of the people on the ground!
xxxNomadicxxx21 October 2021
Great documentary from the views of the people on the ground, no matter which political side you are on. Watching from home, as I did, you just see mobs of people vs the police. This tell the tale of what they experienced that day up close and in person.
It's biased and often misleading, but I still enjoyed it overall
JurijFedorov26 May 2022
This is a fine doc, but it's obviously not a masterpiece or anything close to that. Even if you fully agree with a message in a doc you are supposed to judge it fairly for how correct it is, how engaging it is, and how illuminating it is. Please remain critical and look at the facts presented instead of just blindly following a movement.
Firstly, I want to tackle the accusation of ideological bias in this doc. Most people in the media industry are very ideological in a very specific and monotone way. This is how the industry looks like overall, not just for this doc. Any single movie or documentary comes with a bias and it's often a very predictable one. This doc is biased in exactly the same direction as most modern Hollywood productions.
The doc does try to make Jan. 6 into a HUGE terrorist insurrection event. Cops died! People got hurt! The Democratic senators here claim Trump was just a step away from becoming a dictator of USA. The secretaries working for the Democrat senators talk about how they could have been molested, killed, tortured, beaten. This doc clearly plays the whole thing up. But these are interviews with people from both sides. Angry cops, politicians from both sides, protestors. The point of view here is that this was a huge event where cops died. Was a random secretary who locked herself in an office close to being molested and killed? Obviously not as she didn't even come in contact with any of the protestors. There was zero chance whatsoever of that happening. There were many women randomly walking around in the Capitol perfectly safe and no one was asking each other about their political beliefs. No civilians were fighting each other at any point. The Proud Boys were very clear that one of their main goals is to protect women. Still the documentary makers decided to include this absolutely insane secretary interview. Was Trump close to becoming a dictator? Also no. I get they want to claim all of this to make the documentary seem important, but it's ideological and political spin. In this doc we even see Democrat senators on the day say that nothing much happened. So how did the documentary spin it into some huge coup attempt with murder, potential molestation, and a potential dictator? Whatever this documentary is you can still be critical and try to look at it fairly. The lies are coming from both sides here. Biased docs like this are very uncritical of what is said in the misleading interviews. The only person who died that day was a female protestor who got shot by a guard. That's it. The loose documentary claim about cops dying in the protest is totally false. The documentary makers should be ashamed of trying to sell this idea. But I don't know why they did that? Is this political propaganda or just them trying to make this into something huge it never was to sell a story?
Overall I think it's a fun watch. Yeah, it's biased... obviously. That's just expected. But they don't use a biased voiceover. It's just interviews and scenes. The people who lie about cops dying there on the day unfortunately get the only point of view on that part of the story. There is no critical professor or journalist explaining why many statements in this doc are lies and ideological spin. But we mainly need to blame the people interviewed here. The cop wives are obviously angry and sad. They won't be giving neutral interviews at any point. The cops at the scene, who voted for Biden, won't be neutral either. If you are critical you will understand they are lying and you'll try to look past their claims.
Even though this is a biased documentary I still recommend it. It's just a fun watch. Just don't believe what is said here. It's not all true. Read up on the story in different media, both left and right. And ignore old sources. NYT and Washington Post had a ton of fake news stories about cops being beaten to death and other fake made-up events. This never happened and they later retracted all those claims. Zero cops were beaten to death or killed in any way. The misinformation flow is extreme. But what can I do? I want to watch the events of the day on screen and it's not like I have a ton of neutral documentaries to pick from on this topic. It's either this or other way more biased stuff made by extremely biased sources. So yeah, I recommend it. It's not ideal or amazing. But it is super fun.
Firstly, I want to tackle the accusation of ideological bias in this doc. Most people in the media industry are very ideological in a very specific and monotone way. This is how the industry looks like overall, not just for this doc. Any single movie or documentary comes with a bias and it's often a very predictable one. This doc is biased in exactly the same direction as most modern Hollywood productions.
The doc does try to make Jan. 6 into a HUGE terrorist insurrection event. Cops died! People got hurt! The Democratic senators here claim Trump was just a step away from becoming a dictator of USA. The secretaries working for the Democrat senators talk about how they could have been molested, killed, tortured, beaten. This doc clearly plays the whole thing up. But these are interviews with people from both sides. Angry cops, politicians from both sides, protestors. The point of view here is that this was a huge event where cops died. Was a random secretary who locked herself in an office close to being molested and killed? Obviously not as she didn't even come in contact with any of the protestors. There was zero chance whatsoever of that happening. There were many women randomly walking around in the Capitol perfectly safe and no one was asking each other about their political beliefs. No civilians were fighting each other at any point. The Proud Boys were very clear that one of their main goals is to protect women. Still the documentary makers decided to include this absolutely insane secretary interview. Was Trump close to becoming a dictator? Also no. I get they want to claim all of this to make the documentary seem important, but it's ideological and political spin. In this doc we even see Democrat senators on the day say that nothing much happened. So how did the documentary spin it into some huge coup attempt with murder, potential molestation, and a potential dictator? Whatever this documentary is you can still be critical and try to look at it fairly. The lies are coming from both sides here. Biased docs like this are very uncritical of what is said in the misleading interviews. The only person who died that day was a female protestor who got shot by a guard. That's it. The loose documentary claim about cops dying in the protest is totally false. The documentary makers should be ashamed of trying to sell this idea. But I don't know why they did that? Is this political propaganda or just them trying to make this into something huge it never was to sell a story?
Overall I think it's a fun watch. Yeah, it's biased... obviously. That's just expected. But they don't use a biased voiceover. It's just interviews and scenes. The people who lie about cops dying there on the day unfortunately get the only point of view on that part of the story. There is no critical professor or journalist explaining why many statements in this doc are lies and ideological spin. But we mainly need to blame the people interviewed here. The cop wives are obviously angry and sad. They won't be giving neutral interviews at any point. The cops at the scene, who voted for Biden, won't be neutral either. If you are critical you will understand they are lying and you'll try to look past their claims.
Even though this is a biased documentary I still recommend it. It's just a fun watch. Just don't believe what is said here. It's not all true. Read up on the story in different media, both left and right. And ignore old sources. NYT and Washington Post had a ton of fake news stories about cops being beaten to death and other fake made-up events. This never happened and they later retracted all those claims. Zero cops were beaten to death or killed in any way. The misinformation flow is extreme. But what can I do? I want to watch the events of the day on screen and it's not like I have a ton of neutral documentaries to pick from on this topic. It's either this or other way more biased stuff made by extremely biased sources. So yeah, I recommend it. It's not ideal or amazing. But it is super fun.
Everyone should watch this documentary.
MovieBuff545423 October 2021
Funniest Movie of the Decade So Far
timoprecedent10 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This is the funniest documentary I've ever seen. Probably one of the funniest ever made. The Trump supporters in this are either attempting to be funny and succeeding, which is funny, attempting to be funny and failing, which is also funny, or being very serious, which is when they're at their funniest.
But the MVPs of this movie in terms of laughableness are the politicians and the cops. The one cop/guard/whatever who, when the Trumpers started messing with the Senate chamber said to them something like, "remember this is, like, the most sacred place," had me rolling. If you have even partial knowledge of the foreign and domestic policy decisions that have been made in that room over the years and still think it's sacred as anything other than an IRL Hall of Doom you're as much a member of a cult as anyone who stormed the Capitol. Anyways, were all the cops who didn't shoot somebody jealous of the one who did? Idk. I just know almost all of them either decided/had been ordered to let a mass temper tantrum play out so these people could get it out of their system and go back home. Great plan.
And the politicians, where to start? Apparently they're all soldiers, pretty much, when really they're more like athletes playing for different teams. But no matter who wins or loses the same people still get paid, and they're there to make sure that money keeps rolling in while convincing the fans that they, the plebeians, are benefiting as well. But I digress.
Maybe this is only a comedy if you're jaded. Maybe it's a very sobering film for Americans who think Congress has done more for them than they have for billionaires. But since the documentarians didn't seem to realize they'd actually made a farce, I've rated it lower, even though enjoyment-wise it was a 10 star experience.
But the MVPs of this movie in terms of laughableness are the politicians and the cops. The one cop/guard/whatever who, when the Trumpers started messing with the Senate chamber said to them something like, "remember this is, like, the most sacred place," had me rolling. If you have even partial knowledge of the foreign and domestic policy decisions that have been made in that room over the years and still think it's sacred as anything other than an IRL Hall of Doom you're as much a member of a cult as anyone who stormed the Capitol. Anyways, were all the cops who didn't shoot somebody jealous of the one who did? Idk. I just know almost all of them either decided/had been ordered to let a mass temper tantrum play out so these people could get it out of their system and go back home. Great plan.
And the politicians, where to start? Apparently they're all soldiers, pretty much, when really they're more like athletes playing for different teams. But no matter who wins or loses the same people still get paid, and they're there to make sure that money keeps rolling in while convincing the fans that they, the plebeians, are benefiting as well. But I digress.
Maybe this is only a comedy if you're jaded. Maybe it's a very sobering film for Americans who think Congress has done more for them than they have for billionaires. But since the documentarians didn't seem to realize they'd actually made a farce, I've rated it lower, even though enjoyment-wise it was a 10 star experience.
Complete and total fiction
chrislgorman12 March 2024
What the liberal Democrat-Socialists of America want you to believe about their orchestrated cover up of their "coup" to steal the US Presidential Election for Joe Biden / the Deep State / uniparty/ ruling class.
The "riot" started when US Capitol police let protesters into the rotunda and then Antifa broke in by force to the lower gallery.
This was all done to derail the efforts of "Tea Party" Republican Senators to challenge the election results in AZ, GA , MI , PA and WI were there were widespread irregularities with mail in ballots and voting machines by Dominion.
When Ted Cruz initiated proceedings to challenge the AZ results, that's when the rioting started.
The truth is Nancy Pelosi wanted this Chaos and had illegal meetings with Mark Milley and pentagon officials to make sure there was not National Guard or US Army troops that might be loyal to President rather than US Capitol Police who are under the Speaker's control.
The producers of this film should put out a statement apologizing to the Country for their Purely Partisan portrayal depicted. They should also pull the film from HBO streaming service for inaccurate information.
Complete garbage.
The "riot" started when US Capitol police let protesters into the rotunda and then Antifa broke in by force to the lower gallery.
This was all done to derail the efforts of "Tea Party" Republican Senators to challenge the election results in AZ, GA , MI , PA and WI were there were widespread irregularities with mail in ballots and voting machines by Dominion.
When Ted Cruz initiated proceedings to challenge the AZ results, that's when the rioting started.
The truth is Nancy Pelosi wanted this Chaos and had illegal meetings with Mark Milley and pentagon officials to make sure there was not National Guard or US Army troops that might be loyal to President rather than US Capitol Police who are under the Speaker's control.
The producers of this film should put out a statement apologizing to the Country for their Purely Partisan portrayal depicted. They should also pull the film from HBO streaming service for inaccurate information.
Complete garbage.
Stunning
david-54621 October 2021
It probably should be no surprise that there are a number of 1/10 ratings here on the IMDB. After all the Trump lovers and believers that the election was stolen continue to this day to buy into the lie perpetrated by Trump and his minions watch these shows as well and they will happily label the documentary itself as a lie.
Instead what we watched was stunning in its showing how a mob, and one can describe them as no more than that, tried to overthrow the government on January 6, 2021. Trump was clearly promoting the violence through his encouragement to "stop the steal".
This is a gripping film shot from hand held cams, cell phones and police cameras. There is no denying the violence that occurred. It was there, in your face, bold, riveting. This is not made up. Yes it is difficult working in interviews as clearly those being interviewed are going to be discussing their point of view or experience. Those that firmly believe about the steal and continue to this day were naturally not included in the interviews although there were some.
A reminder that history does not necessarily repeat but it can rhyme. In 1923 there was the famous Beer Hall Putsch in Munich led by Hitler to try and overthrow the government. It failed and Hitler and others did spend time in jail. That didn't stop them and 10 years later they were in complete power via the ballot box. In 1905 there was a revolt in Russia viciously put down. But again they reorganized and 12 years later they successfully overthrew the Czarist government in the October revolution.
One should never be complacent. These people will no doubt be back and the next time they may succeed thus triggering a civil war. Something that did not happen in 1933. A civil war did follow in Russia but the Czarist forces eventually lost to the Bolsheviks but at the expense of millions killed, injured or displaced. In 1861-1865 the US civil war had upwards of 800 thousand killed. Today that would translate into 6-10 million, a country destroyed and millions displaced.
Instead what we watched was stunning in its showing how a mob, and one can describe them as no more than that, tried to overthrow the government on January 6, 2021. Trump was clearly promoting the violence through his encouragement to "stop the steal".
This is a gripping film shot from hand held cams, cell phones and police cameras. There is no denying the violence that occurred. It was there, in your face, bold, riveting. This is not made up. Yes it is difficult working in interviews as clearly those being interviewed are going to be discussing their point of view or experience. Those that firmly believe about the steal and continue to this day were naturally not included in the interviews although there were some.
A reminder that history does not necessarily repeat but it can rhyme. In 1923 there was the famous Beer Hall Putsch in Munich led by Hitler to try and overthrow the government. It failed and Hitler and others did spend time in jail. That didn't stop them and 10 years later they were in complete power via the ballot box. In 1905 there was a revolt in Russia viciously put down. But again they reorganized and 12 years later they successfully overthrew the Czarist government in the October revolution.
One should never be complacent. These people will no doubt be back and the next time they may succeed thus triggering a civil war. Something that did not happen in 1933. A civil war did follow in Russia but the Czarist forces eventually lost to the Bolsheviks but at the expense of millions killed, injured or displaced. In 1861-1865 the US civil war had upwards of 800 thousand killed. Today that would translate into 6-10 million, a country destroyed and millions displaced.
MUST SEE
rayoflight197522 October 2021
Ignore the trolls stating nothing happened or it's time to move on. A pivital moment in US history took place when violent, dangerous seditionists tried to overthrow the US Government.
Trumpism is a CULT!
The GOP no longer honors patriotism, history & or America. It's time to dissolve this corrupt, ignorant cult!
Trumpism is a CULT!
The GOP no longer honors patriotism, history & or America. It's time to dissolve this corrupt, ignorant cult!
The most unfiltered, raw telling of January 6, 2020
stephanschneider-8751822 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This documentary didn't aim to explain or analyze what happened that day. It did not seek out context for what led to the events that unfolded (i.e. The Big Lie). Rather, it simply presented the day as it happened in its raw, unfiltered form. I remember watching that day unfold before me live on TV. I have since seen every documentary I've found about it. This one goes beyond any that I've seen. It brilliantly combines footage from police, media, building, and rioters to show exactly what happened.
To weave its narrative, it does not rely on a narrator or some analyst to put things into perspective. Rather, it uses the subjects of the footage (such as police officers), creators of the footage (proud boy and other rioters), and members of congress and staff members who saw things unfold and shared what they felt at that time. It is important to note that this commentary is not to put things into context. Rather, it is meant to tell what they were feeling at that time. Indeed, the documentary is so unfiltered that there are times where I was livid at the film for allowing these people so much screen time to spew their disproven conspiracy theories and misinformation. [Indeed, i find the 1 star reviewers here that lambast this film for being leftist propaganda ironically funny because it is the only film I've seen that actually gives them an unfiltered platform] Alas, that is what gives this film its power. You are left to interpret the events as they unfold. To those whom are well familiar with the Big Lie and what happened that day, you can see how these people truly believe they were the patriots and that they were morally correct. It is a powerful image to see them proudly parade the invaded capital building and reminisce about that day - all while superimposed with images of the damage they caused to the building, to the officers that valiantly fought to protect our elected representatives, and to the institution of democracy.
If I may digress for a moment to expand on this point. It was and remains quite chilling to see our seat of government, the house of the people, invaded. As a Colombian-American, I think back to.1985 invasion of the Justice Palace in Bogota where.the M-19 group successfully took over the building and held the Supreme Court hostage. This documentary brought forward new footage and testimony showing how bravely the officers fought to prevent such an outcome in DC. It was harrowing to see that tunnel battle unfold. Yes, we've seen the footage on CNN, Fox News, and Youtube. But here, we see it in first person. We see officers drained in the tunnel but quickly turning back to the battle because they knew that they could not let the Capital become overrun by this mob.
This is a documentary that lays all the cards on the table. All throughout, you are watching and listening to these so-called patriots recount their so-called tourist visit - all the while, completely oblivious to the damage they have caused. You wonder where the accountability goes; you wonder if they still believe this reality. The ending of this film helps answer these questions. You see how these people reconcile the accountability they are now being subjected to as Trump plays golf and essentially abandons them.
This is a documentary that must be seen as an addendum to your study into that day. The only way you will appreciate it fully is if you are already well-aware of the context surrounding these events. You will need to be aware of "The Big Lie," Pence's defiance to Trump, Trump and his Trumpet's incendiary language leading up to that day, the movement within Congress to object to the certification, the danger key figures like Pence, AOC, Pelosi, and Romney faced that day and how some evaded the worst by quick thinking and simple luck.
Basically, this is not the definitive telling of what happened. It's not a one-stop shop. It is however brilliant in providing an unfiltered view of how that day unfolded. A must watch!
To weave its narrative, it does not rely on a narrator or some analyst to put things into perspective. Rather, it uses the subjects of the footage (such as police officers), creators of the footage (proud boy and other rioters), and members of congress and staff members who saw things unfold and shared what they felt at that time. It is important to note that this commentary is not to put things into context. Rather, it is meant to tell what they were feeling at that time. Indeed, the documentary is so unfiltered that there are times where I was livid at the film for allowing these people so much screen time to spew their disproven conspiracy theories and misinformation. [Indeed, i find the 1 star reviewers here that lambast this film for being leftist propaganda ironically funny because it is the only film I've seen that actually gives them an unfiltered platform] Alas, that is what gives this film its power. You are left to interpret the events as they unfold. To those whom are well familiar with the Big Lie and what happened that day, you can see how these people truly believe they were the patriots and that they were morally correct. It is a powerful image to see them proudly parade the invaded capital building and reminisce about that day - all while superimposed with images of the damage they caused to the building, to the officers that valiantly fought to protect our elected representatives, and to the institution of democracy.
If I may digress for a moment to expand on this point. It was and remains quite chilling to see our seat of government, the house of the people, invaded. As a Colombian-American, I think back to.1985 invasion of the Justice Palace in Bogota where.the M-19 group successfully took over the building and held the Supreme Court hostage. This documentary brought forward new footage and testimony showing how bravely the officers fought to prevent such an outcome in DC. It was harrowing to see that tunnel battle unfold. Yes, we've seen the footage on CNN, Fox News, and Youtube. But here, we see it in first person. We see officers drained in the tunnel but quickly turning back to the battle because they knew that they could not let the Capital become overrun by this mob.
This is a documentary that lays all the cards on the table. All throughout, you are watching and listening to these so-called patriots recount their so-called tourist visit - all the while, completely oblivious to the damage they have caused. You wonder where the accountability goes; you wonder if they still believe this reality. The ending of this film helps answer these questions. You see how these people reconcile the accountability they are now being subjected to as Trump plays golf and essentially abandons them.
This is a documentary that must be seen as an addendum to your study into that day. The only way you will appreciate it fully is if you are already well-aware of the context surrounding these events. You will need to be aware of "The Big Lie," Pence's defiance to Trump, Trump and his Trumpet's incendiary language leading up to that day, the movement within Congress to object to the certification, the danger key figures like Pence, AOC, Pelosi, and Romney faced that day and how some evaded the worst by quick thinking and simple luck.
Basically, this is not the definitive telling of what happened. It's not a one-stop shop. It is however brilliant in providing an unfiltered view of how that day unfolded. A must watch!
Must See
IdgeE21 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a sucker for documentaries even though they irritate me at the same time. I saw this and thought, "oh here we go again", but I selected it anyway.
I'm not judging the camera work or cinematography, or any other technique. My opinion is about the meat of this documentary.
This goes through the timeline of what happened on January 6 at the U. S. Capitol building in DC. Fortunately for us, there are interviews of some of the mob members, giving their take on events or at least their opinion of what happened. And this is either disputed or backed up by actual footage from their own cameras and from Capitol cameras.
There are interviews of police officers as well, describing in detail what they experienced and how their lives are now. They go into graphic details about their injuries and their thoughts at the time.
This is filled with footage, actual documentation of what went down. It shows how and when Congress members were led out of the areas that were being pummeled by terrorists. Lots of emotions shown, blood and cursing is shown, so this is not for the faint of heart. And yes, there's footage of the woman being shot as she disobeyed an order to retreat, shown from different vantage points.
We all know how Thais ended, so there's no secret here, and hard to say that any of this has spoilers. Maybe the only thing that's a mystery before you watch is the obvious stance the filmmakers have about the circumstances.
It's pretty emotional, especially at the very end. But since I saw it live in real time, some of it was emotional, and some was just verifying that I saw what I did. There's some footage of the Donald, as expected, and several of those interviewed made reference to his actions and inaction that day, leading up to it, and his denial that an angry mob caused destruction and insurrection. The documentary does a good job intermingling those lies with the statements and video of police officers being attacked and beaten. Ironically, there is footage of one officer being dragged by the mob outside and being tased and beaten, while several terrorists are holding the "blue lives matter" flag. It's almost humorous. BTW, this officer had physical and psychological damage that is likely irreparable. (But everything was peaceful, huh?)
Watch it, be pissed if you need to be, it's definitely designed to bring up emotions.
I'm not judging the camera work or cinematography, or any other technique. My opinion is about the meat of this documentary.
This goes through the timeline of what happened on January 6 at the U. S. Capitol building in DC. Fortunately for us, there are interviews of some of the mob members, giving their take on events or at least their opinion of what happened. And this is either disputed or backed up by actual footage from their own cameras and from Capitol cameras.
There are interviews of police officers as well, describing in detail what they experienced and how their lives are now. They go into graphic details about their injuries and their thoughts at the time.
This is filled with footage, actual documentation of what went down. It shows how and when Congress members were led out of the areas that were being pummeled by terrorists. Lots of emotions shown, blood and cursing is shown, so this is not for the faint of heart. And yes, there's footage of the woman being shot as she disobeyed an order to retreat, shown from different vantage points.
We all know how Thais ended, so there's no secret here, and hard to say that any of this has spoilers. Maybe the only thing that's a mystery before you watch is the obvious stance the filmmakers have about the circumstances.
It's pretty emotional, especially at the very end. But since I saw it live in real time, some of it was emotional, and some was just verifying that I saw what I did. There's some footage of the Donald, as expected, and several of those interviewed made reference to his actions and inaction that day, leading up to it, and his denial that an angry mob caused destruction and insurrection. The documentary does a good job intermingling those lies with the statements and video of police officers being attacked and beaten. Ironically, there is footage of one officer being dragged by the mob outside and being tased and beaten, while several terrorists are holding the "blue lives matter" flag. It's almost humorous. BTW, this officer had physical and psychological damage that is likely irreparable. (But everything was peaceful, huh?)
Watch it, be pissed if you need to be, it's definitely designed to bring up emotions.
It most certainly WAS an insurrection
SteverB14 November 2021
Fantastic documentary showing what happened on January 6th from the ground. And I suppose in an effort to get all sides, the filmmakers had to speak to everyone involved including Proud Bois and Cowboys for Trump, whatever that is. The thing about these people that really bothers me, other than the obvious, is that they kept calling themselves "patriots." I don't think that word means what they think it means. In addition to that, "Whose house? Our house!" referring to the United States Capitol, fondly referred to as The People's House, doesn't mean that you have an inalienable right to ransack it when you feel like it.
I have never watched a documentary -- nd I've watched A LOT of documentaries -- where a good number of the participants were liars, but this is what we have here with the insurrectionists that appeared on camera. Everything is very matter-of-fact with them as if they're recalling the time they took an SAT test together, or met up to try to perpetrate a coup on the United States because Donald Trump, a failed reality TV star, and failed, twice-impeached president, says to.
As I started with, this is a fantastic documentary of that day, and I wish I could say I enjoyed watching it, but, as with every time I see footage of January 6th, all I thought most of the time was what wild animals they all were. Certainly NOT patriots of any kind I've ever heard of. In a democracy, which we'd like to keep, thanks!, the form of protest that you get is approval or disapproval of candidates is at the ballot box, not violence, not insurrection, not sedition. Of course, if you're one of the minority of people that don't like democracy, feel free to move out and go start your own dictatorial utopia with Trump as your Messiah. Maybe they'll make another documentary about that too!
I have never watched a documentary -- nd I've watched A LOT of documentaries -- where a good number of the participants were liars, but this is what we have here with the insurrectionists that appeared on camera. Everything is very matter-of-fact with them as if they're recalling the time they took an SAT test together, or met up to try to perpetrate a coup on the United States because Donald Trump, a failed reality TV star, and failed, twice-impeached president, says to.
As I started with, this is a fantastic documentary of that day, and I wish I could say I enjoyed watching it, but, as with every time I see footage of January 6th, all I thought most of the time was what wild animals they all were. Certainly NOT patriots of any kind I've ever heard of. In a democracy, which we'd like to keep, thanks!, the form of protest that you get is approval or disapproval of candidates is at the ballot box, not violence, not insurrection, not sedition. Of course, if you're one of the minority of people that don't like democracy, feel free to move out and go start your own dictatorial utopia with Trump as your Messiah. Maybe they'll make another documentary about that too!
Disapointing
bcorzine26 October 2021
I in no way am supportive of what happened that day, but I wanted to learn more about the other side. I have heard plenty from lawmakers claiming they feared for their lives. Ironically, some are the same who were cheering on the BLM protests that got violent. I'm sure there were many innocent people in that situation that felt the same way. This was just more one-sided propaganda. I've already heard it all. Show me something new.
"Bad company corrupts good morals."
kelii323 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
January 6 wasn't a "riot" or an "insurrection" but was a poorly planned coup to overthrow the U. S. government, substituet a petty egotistical fool like an 3rd world banana republic. You have the perfect idiot who thinks he knows how to game the system but has no clue who is pulling his leg.
The former game show host conspired with right-wing extremists, political operatives and misguided minions to decapitate the legislative branch and then rule by emergency decree based upon ludicrous false claims the 2020 election was stolen.
The documentary remains objective, presents the surreal event, recorded and streamed by agitators videos boasting of "owning the libs" & posted on their social media. Most of the minions was fined a weeks average ($600) benefit of what they condemn as "socialist": unemployment checks they received during the pandemic.
Most of us watched it occuring 'live'! The traitors were prepared to hang one of their parties OWN VP; led to the deaths of 5 people, injured 140 capitol police and caused more than $1.5 million in property damage which doesn't include the additional $520 million taxpayer pricetag for additional police and National Guard security response during and after the failed coup!!
What's extremely disturbing is the FACT nearly all of the autocratic party members who swore an oath to uphold preserve the constitution, refusal to condemn the anarchists & their treasonous leader. Leads one to conclude they are negligent immoral puppets as well and should be accountable for their inaction and cowardice.
Objective trruth is not a high priorty with conservative "values" when the mindless tribalistic cultural identity of their base keeps their greedy snouts at the trough. The wasted $522 millions could have been used for suppport progarms help people affected by a global virus pandemic but instead they chose to politicize the catastrophic event.
The preposterous 60+ "stolen election" lawsuits wrre all rejected by state courts, in some cases by judges appointed by the delusional autocratic ex-president himself. In one lawsuit even the SCOTUS conservative party-hack majority refused to hear the case! The taxpayer on both sides of the aisle in those states will share the tremendous cost of those stupid frivolous lawsuits.
The former game show host conspired with right-wing extremists, political operatives and misguided minions to decapitate the legislative branch and then rule by emergency decree based upon ludicrous false claims the 2020 election was stolen.
The documentary remains objective, presents the surreal event, recorded and streamed by agitators videos boasting of "owning the libs" & posted on their social media. Most of the minions was fined a weeks average ($600) benefit of what they condemn as "socialist": unemployment checks they received during the pandemic.
Most of us watched it occuring 'live'! The traitors were prepared to hang one of their parties OWN VP; led to the deaths of 5 people, injured 140 capitol police and caused more than $1.5 million in property damage which doesn't include the additional $520 million taxpayer pricetag for additional police and National Guard security response during and after the failed coup!!
What's extremely disturbing is the FACT nearly all of the autocratic party members who swore an oath to uphold preserve the constitution, refusal to condemn the anarchists & their treasonous leader. Leads one to conclude they are negligent immoral puppets as well and should be accountable for their inaction and cowardice.
Objective trruth is not a high priorty with conservative "values" when the mindless tribalistic cultural identity of their base keeps their greedy snouts at the trough. The wasted $522 millions could have been used for suppport progarms help people affected by a global virus pandemic but instead they chose to politicize the catastrophic event.
The preposterous 60+ "stolen election" lawsuits wrre all rejected by state courts, in some cases by judges appointed by the delusional autocratic ex-president himself. In one lawsuit even the SCOTUS conservative party-hack majority refused to hear the case! The taxpayer on both sides of the aisle in those states will share the tremendous cost of those stupid frivolous lawsuits.
Surprisingly impartial
chillyblaze13 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Coming from one of those "dirty socialist, left-leaning morons", I was impressed with this documentary's restraint in not painting the rioters as outright villains. Sure, there was somber music and maybe one or two instances where a bias was shown, but the former I could see as relating to the situation itself, and the latter was, in my opinion, neglible.
They didn't have to allow the people who were there that day to speak in the documentary, but they did. They didn't have to show them letting the cop back inside the building as a moment of humanity, but they did.
A lesser documentary would have left these moments out to paint a narrative, but this documentary instead elected simply to show what happened, and I applaud it for that.
And to any people on the right who think that this documentary makes them look bad, I'm sorry but...
You did that to yourself.
They didn't have to allow the people who were there that day to speak in the documentary, but they did. They didn't have to show them letting the cop back inside the building as a moment of humanity, but they did.
A lesser documentary would have left these moments out to paint a narrative, but this documentary instead elected simply to show what happened, and I applaud it for that.
And to any people on the right who think that this documentary makes them look bad, I'm sorry but...
You did that to yourself.
The most devastating horror piece you will see this year
lareval25 October 2021
The hate and stupidity can show the humanity darkest hours to the world. And some of the hours will now be shamefully remembered forever. A terrific and bloodcurdling docummentary. A true piece of sadly realistic terror. Sometimes I do not know what to think about the world these days... So, so painfully sad.
History
DrunkSuperman21 October 2021
Good to see the different perspectives on the ground. Ignore the trolls in the review sections. Vice and NYTimes did similar pieces but analysis on the publically published videos of the rioters and independent journalist.
The Definitive Account of Jan 6th
hilary895 November 2021
The footage acquired by the filmmakers is incredible - much of it previously unreleased to the media. The producers clearly developed a strong report with some of the insurrectionists which is what gave the film the most in depth, on the ground vantage point of any films on this tragic day. Somehow they even managed to get quality footage (taken by the rioters themselves) of many of the individuals they later interviewed. That is what truly sets this apart from the ever growing index of films about January 6th.
I read a Variety review that was very critical of the film for giving the rioters a platform for spreading more false narratives. But I disagree. I think it's critical to hear these voices (as misguided as they may be) for us to understand the mindsets of the people who tried to overthrow our democracy. Because, rest assured, they will try it again.
I read a Variety review that was very critical of the film for giving the rioters a platform for spreading more false narratives. But I disagree. I think it's critical to hear these voices (as misguided as they may be) for us to understand the mindsets of the people who tried to overthrow our democracy. Because, rest assured, they will try it again.
How do you overthrow the US government without weapons?
cdm-355164 November 2021
The fact that some people and the media continue to push the narrative that the events on Jan 6th was an insurrection attempt when they had no weapons astounds me. The FBI has already said that Jan 6th was not an insurrection.
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