Synopsis
Mark Cousins examines life and death in the atomic age. Using only archival film, his documentary shows an impressionistic kaleidoscope of our nuclear age set to the soundtrack of the Scottish band Mogwai: protest marches, the Cold War, Chernobyl and Fukushima, but also the sublime beauty of the atomic world, how X-rays and MRI scanners have helped improve people’s lives.
A word from Tënk
Absent any commentary or explanatory voiceover, Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise draws from a rich montage of strikingly beautiful archival images, supported by instrumental music from Scottish band Mogwai that veers from apocalyptic to exultant or uplifting. In fact, the group performed the soundtrack that they composed for the film in a series of live concerts across Europe and North America in 2016 and 2017, projecting the film behind the musicians as they played.
As its title suggests, Atomic reveals the dark side associated with nuclear energy and the atomic bomb, but also shows the positive outcomes that the former has brought to humanity, including in the medical field. It wavers between concerns about the self-destructive impulses of the human race and a celebration of existence, as we see in the film’s stunning opening montage illustrating the evolution of life on Earth. In short: turn the volume dial all the way up and let yourself be transported by the unique sensory experience that is Atomic.
Jean-Philippe Desrochers
Critic
