Raoul Peck’s Orwell 2+2=5 is a documentary that serves as both a time capsule of the past and a snapshot of our moment, starting with an intro clip from the 1983 movie The Crystal Spirit: Orwell on Jura (1983), where the man tells the child that governments make you believe that 2+2 = 5. The documentary features a fluttering of vintage and contemporary clips from around the world of events, serving as a reminder that totalitarianism is alive and well, ebbing and flowing throughout history despite its significant moments that feel ripped from the headlines.
The reflection on authoritarianism in Orwell 2+2=5 presents stark descriptions, illustrating a condition where “only one opinion is permissible at any given moment,” and how it “demands the continuation of the past and, in the long run, rejects the existence of objective truth.” Setting this up allows them to emphasize the modern point we are seeing in the US. Trump recounting his version of January 6th, with the destructive day and the harsh videos, lays the groundwork for the 2020 election lies against brutal, unfiltered footage of the day itself, which is an agonizing contrast. (“Since absolute truth is not attainable…a big lie is no different than a little lie,” the narrator says.)
See Also: Franchise Fred: They Live 30th Anniversary: And Now They Don’t Even Hide Anymore
In what I describe as a “book-banning slot machine” effect, banned books, authors, countries, and years spin like a slot machine, where the only winner is the authoritarian and the loser is absolute truth. It is an effective and chilling technique. While in effect, the censorship represented flashes in rapid succession, and like truth itself, it was being controlled by the authoritarian powers that be. I found it a mesmerizing, deeply unsettling moment, which reminded me that suppression is all about silencing and distorting reality.
There is a sense of tension toward the end of Orwell 2+2=5, which predicts the world’s future. A society saturated with AI makes people unable to trust their eyes and ears, but only collective, inspirational mass protest can save humanity. Peck’s documentary insists that authoritarianism quietly takes its time to seduce its prey through grievances and comfortable lies that all deny reality. In a current world where absolute truth can be manufactured, there is a fierce urgency to reinforce the concept that 2 plus 2 equals 4.
Orwell 2+2=5 is now playing in limited release.
