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The Shock Doctrine

The Shock Doctrine

Documentary · 2009

An investigation of "disaster capitalism", based on Naomi Klein's proposition that neo-liberal capitalism feeds on natural disasters, war and terror to establish its dominance.

Movie details

The Shock Doctrine

2009 Documentary 1h 22m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

An investigation of "disaster capitalism", based on Naomi Klein's proposition that neo-liberal capitalism feeds on natural disasters, war and terror to establish its dominance.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Shock Doctrine?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Michael Winterbottom · Mat Whitecross

Kieran O'Brien

Kieran O'Brien

Narrator (Voice)

Naomi Klein

Naomi Klein

Self

Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman

Self

John Major

John Major

Self (archive footage)

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

Self (archive footage)

Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger

Self (archive footage)

Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein

Self (archive footage)

Court is in session

Put The Shock Doctrine on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.