Command and Control

Command and Control is an alarming, gripping, and thought-provoking 2016 documentary that delves deeply into one of the potentially most disastrous, yet largely unreported incidents in American history. Based on the best-selling book by investigative journalist Eric Schlosser, this feature-length documentary examines a 1980 accident at a Titan II missile complex in Damascus, Arkansas—an incident that unquestionably exposed the fragility and genuine dangers of the nuclear weapons system.

Directed by Robert Kenner, famous for his acclaimed documentary 'Food, Inc,' Command and Control harnesses all the thrills of a suspense film to tell this real-life horror story accurately, yet dramatically. It painstakingly explores the 1980 incident where a fuel tank exploded during maintenance work on a Titan II nuclear missile, causing an impending disaster with potential catastrophic consequences.

The movie consistently incorporates eyebrow-raising interviews, presents compelling testimonies from eyewitnesses, and showcases previously unreleased archival footage. Among those interviewed are Michael Bideller, Andreas Birnbaum, and renowned journalist Tom Brokaw. All cast members add immersive details and human elements to the narrative landscape, with recognizable faces putting a personal perspective on this significant, historical event.

From the opening credits, this nerve-wracking documentary rolls into action, demonstrating that life can sometimes be more terrifying than fiction. It speaks directly to the audience's inherent fear of nuclear weapons and how a simple human error could lead to unintended yet critical outcomes. Coupled with pulse-pounding reenactments, the documentary unfolds chronologically, meticulously detailing the steps that led up to the accident and its subsequent, tense aftermath.

Command and Control isn't just a documentary that combs through the history of nuclear weapons in the United States; it unmasks a distressingly long list of other mishaps that the U.S. Department of Defense refers to as "broken arrows", nuclear weapons accidents that didn't result in a nuclear war. Through this lens, the documentary simultaneously emerges as a powerful critique of the nation's nuclear weapons system while uncovering the bureaucracy and cover-ups that underscored these chilling near-misses throughout the Cold War.

What makes the documentary notably hard-hitting is its immediate implications—it implicitly delves into a nuclear weapons debate. By illustrating how close the United States has come to self-inflicted nuclear disaster in the past, it blurs the line between historical documentation and contemporary commentary, forcing the audience to ponder over the significant risks the arsenal continues to pose.

Kenner's visual storytelling steeped in suspense, shockingly real video footage, along with expert interviews, and chilling testamentaries make it one of the most haunting documentaries of its kind—frighteningly enlightening and an ode to a disaster that, fortuitously, did not happen. It confronts the audience with the reality: the very weapons built for our protection could morph into agents of our potential destruction with the click of a button or, in this case, the slip of a tool.

Command and Control is one of those documentaries which, while exploring events from the past, never feels detached from the present, doing a commendable job of evoking an almost palpable sense of fear about what could go wrong in the future. It's a potent and chillingly insightful film that holds relevance in the rising geopolitical turmoil and the omnipresence of nuclear threats.

Intricately researched and masterfully paced, Command and Control isn't just a historical recount but more of a cautionary tale deeply mired in the present. It's thrilling, harrowing, and often alarming, offering an overview of the incident's political, cultural, and societal implications, reflecting on the risks always lurking behind walls of government bureaucracy.

Specifications aside, the documentary's most considerable achievement is its easy accessibility. Even though it chronicles a sophisticated and highly technical series of events, it does so in a manner that makes it understandable and relatable to ordinary viewers.

Engrossing as a thriller and sobering as a wakeup call, Command and Control is more than a mere historical retelling. It's a plea for public awareness and international accountability, and, ultimately, a case statement for further disarmament as we continue to grapple with the existential threat of nuclear proliferation. It makes you wonder, long after the credits have rolled, who is truly in command and control.