One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. A good doc should be detailed and engaging, but it should also tell a story. This does that effortlessly and there wasn't one moment across the 6 hours of it where I wasn't mesmerised.
I can't say I was even particularly interested in the behind-the-scenes world of the Disney theme parks, but this revealed things I had never even considered. The people ("imagineers") involved in making these things are so creative and talented, and the level of detail and craftsmanship they put into their work is incredible.
The last time I went to a Disney park was in 1997 on a family trip to Florida. We did Disney World, Epcot and MGM Studios. I also went to Disneyland Paris (then called Euro Disney) at some point in the early/mid '90s. They were all fantastic experiences, but I was really curious to see how the parks must have been updated in the time since then. They are all constantly changing and it's quite amazing to see how the creators keep them relevant.
I liked that this wasn't shy about exploring the things that didn't work and the mistakes made along the way. It was great to see them realise that they needed to understand and respect other cultures before they could slap an American theme park in different country.
I can say straight up this will not be a movie for everyone, but it really clicked for me. I would also say a blind watch is preferable in movies like this, I went in knowing almost nothing and if possible I think that's the way to watch the movie if possible.
For me it was incredibly immersive once established, with incredible sound design and score. The slow build of tension, unease and dread as things unfold. I'll admit, I've always been a fan of mediums that give the viewer the same amount of knowledge of whats going on as the characters have, and this nails that.
The premise has a whole has been done many times before, including this years Knock at the Cabin, but I've not seen that or read the book it was based on. But in relation to the other similar films, this takes the top spot for me.
While the ending itself is probably the weakest part of the movie for me personally because it answers just slightly too many questions a little bit too easily, the journey to get there was still worth the time and I think the ending might still work for others.
