Risk

Risk is a 2016 American documentary film that is a captivating look into the world of truth, transparency, and danger cloaked under the digital world. Mind-blowing and thrilling, the movie is directed by Academy Award-winner Laura Poitras, known for her extraordinary and fearless filmography in the realm of documentaries. Julian Assange, Sarah Harrison, and Jacob Appelbaum, renowned figures for their work in radical political transparency, play themselves, lending an authenticity to the narrative that grips viewers with its raw immensity.

Risk plunges deep into the heart of the ominous territory of cyber disclosure and infiltration, diving into the lives of figures that have transformed the digital frontier and caused seismic shifts in our perception of government secrecy, cybercrime, and public accountability. Chief among them is Julian Assange, the charismatic and controversial founder of WikiLeaks, the notorious platform that has rattled nations with its revelation of classified information.

The documentary transports viewers into the nerve center of WikiLeaks and its dramatic operations. Laura Poitras's relentless lens follows Assange and his comrades with grit and determination, providing an intimate and unfiltered look into their lives, both public and private. It presents Assange not just as a revolutionary figure who challenged institutions with groundbreaking transparency but also offers a glimpse into his personhood, dreams, dilemmas, eccentricities, and fears.

Sarah Harrison, editor and WikiLeaks section editor, also shines in her role. Poitras paints a captivating portrait of this determined woman, effectively illustrating her significant contributions to the organization and translating her dedication, intellect, and courage onto the screen. The narrative also incorporates Jacob Appelbaum, an American independent journalist, computer security researcher, and hacker who plays a crucial part in WikiLeaks’ operations.

Risk is Poitras’s attempt to acquaint the audience with the highs and lows, victories and setbacks, triumphs and trials of people like Assange, Harrison, and Appelbaum. Their working lives, functioning in an underground world of secret documents, covert operations, and unseen threats are shared with astonishing clarity and rawness. The movie effectively conveys the courage and determination required to operate in this sphere where their crusade for truth places them directly in the crosshairs of powerful institutions adamant about maintaining their clandestine practices.

Poitras, with her signature filmmaking style, manages to humanize these enigmatic figures without letting her own voice influence the narrative. She doesn't indulge personal biases to sway the viewer's stance on the contentious figures Assange and Appelbaum, both of whom have been mired in controversy beyond their work with WikiLeaks. The open-ended narrative lets viewers form their own opinions, making the film an unbiased platform for debate and reflection.

Rich in behind-the-scenes footage, Risk is equipped with distinctly intense and dramatic moments that bolster the overall narrative. The inherent suspense of their day-to-day life is thickly layered throughout the film, amplifying the inherent thrill, danger, and allure of the hidden digital world. The unique insight into how WikiLeaks operates and how it has managed to disrupt the information arena is undoubtedly one of the movie's strongest points.

Risk delves into Assange's international legal troubles, including his prolonged confinement in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London without trespassing into the actual legal proceedings or fairness of the accusations. This approach amplifies the focus on the human aspects of the narrative rather than delving into the complex web of legalities.

With a sturdy narrative framework, the intimacy of a biography, the thrill of a spy novel, and the disclosure of a political exposé, Risk is a potent cocktail of the unknown reality of our times. It offers viewers a dark and thrilling journey into the life of the Internet's most controversial figures.

Through Risk, viewers come face-to-face with the blurry line between right and wrong, justice and injustice, courage and fear through the life of these transparency warriors. Risk is more than just a story; it’s a thought-provoking and awe-inspiring glimpse into an essential corner of our digital world. It is a daring, unflinching record of one of today's most divisive and important debates about safety, surveillance, and the democratization of information.