11 Minutes

As Episode 1 of "11 Minutes" (2022 release; 4 episodes of about 50 min each) opens, it is "October 1, 2017" and radio host Storme Warren addresses the camera: "This is about people helping people, not about the shooter." We then go to the Route 91 Harvest country music festival, with over 22,000 fans in attendance at the Las Vegas fairgrounds. Jason Aldean is the headliner and at some point, one can hear a popping noise: perhaps just fireworks?

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from veteran writer-producer-director Jeff Zimbalist ("Give Us This Day", "The Two Escobars"). Here he reflects on the largest mass shooting in US history, which happened 5 years ago to this very day. We get testimonials of those that were there, including concert fans, first responders, the police. Let me admit upfront that I had never seen any footage of these events, and to say that this will liken make you sick to your stomach, would be the understatement of the year. Episode 1 plays out over much (but not all just yet) of the infamous 11 minutes, during which the shooter fires round after round with his automatic weapons into the crowd. The elephant in the room (why, oh why, would anyone ever need to have automatic assault weapons in the first place) doesn't get addressed until episode 4, but when it does, it hits hard. The parents of a young woman killed at the event look into the camera and ask "how many more will have to die?" (that is: before meaningful gun restrictions are enacted). There are no words, frankly. The phenom of repeated and utterly predictable mass shootings is UNIQUE to the US in the entire world. Just think about that for a second. At the end of Episode 4 of this series, it lists the names of the 58 people that were killed 5 years ago in Vegas. Then it list the HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of mass shooting victims in this country since Vegas 2017. How many more will have to die indeed...

"11 Minutes" was released a few days ago on Paramount+ in the lead-up to the 5th anniversary of the Vegas mass killing. I found this to be a most disturbing but heads on viewing experience. Meanwhile our so-called political leaders are more interested in taking NRA contributions than act, and hence continue to mostly ignore the issue. Shame on them all. If you have any interest in these issues, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Documentary product there are factors that shouldve been better elaborated, namely the question everybody dwells upon... why??????

That is barely mentioned ,but the myriad of cellphone and bodycam footage are really awesome but also devastating, theyve weeded and faded out the most graphic views, but the pain , sorrow and the deteriorating sound of weapons shooting at full automatic in showers of pain, grief and deadly screams will leave you numb and devastated for the rest of your life.

If the perputrator were out to outnumber anders behring breiviks victim count then he came short of that, but the numbers of unnecessary killed and wounded , the people left without their son, daughter, mum, dad or grannys has a countless number, and we will never realise this infinite number untill doomsday turns up.

Rest in peace all loved ones, and stay strong you lot that got scorned for life, and my condolences to you all. A heartbreaking but also reviving piece of documentary making, a must see if you care and dare.

Very good - Very Well done, the documentary is great - the event is awful! Such an absolutely devastating American Tragedy, but again, the show is well made. At the same time - a show that retells a handful of stories from that night doesn't come close to relating the true impact of the event that actually effected more than 30,000+ people. From the concert audience, the performers, the crew, the first responders, the hospitals, families, everyone - this was absolutely mindboggling.

There are a few things to be learned from this - the total confusion as to what was actually happening, the reactions from the crowd - the first responders, etc., it was just mass confusion - and no one really knew what was happening or where the gunfire was coming from - and still to this day no one knows why the shooter did what he did - and the truth is, there are no why's to such a thing. That part doesn't matter - it's pure evil, it's pure cowardice, it's pure insanity.

It is though, a well-made documentary about a horrible event. And it's amazing how somethings aligned to bring this tragedy to an end. DeeJay Silver laments his decision to have his family there - and the danger that this had put his family in - but if not for his nanny and his small child - this tragedy could have gone on much longer. His Nanny, and child - brought this tragedy to an end.

The whole this is moving, tragic, and indomitable!

This was an incredible documentary. Unlike many documentaries that can feel a bit exploitative, this show shines light on one of the greatest tragedies of American history in a way that is shocking and healing at the same time. At the end of it all, this is a story of survival. After the sadness, came the healing. It was inspiring to see every day heroes putting their lives on the line to care for another human being. This is what humanity is all about. Rising from the ashes of a scorching flame and coming out stronger and better. This is a documentary that really is perfection. At the end of it, I felt inspired. Thank you!

After events like this, why is there still a single gun in civilian hands in the US?

61 dead, almost 500 hit by bullets and shrapnel and almost 900 total injuries.

All because of a single gunman.

What kind of event would be required to change American thinking on gun ownership?

I have watched episode 1 and it is very good. It's hard to watch because thousands of people were completely exposed, as a madman fired 1,100 bullets into the crowd that they were in.

The people who were there were traumatized and presumably will be for life. Many of them were shot and bear the scars.

Civilized nations don't have incidents like this. They take the required steps, so they don't ever happen again.