This is a very well crafted documentary considered that it was obviously done low budget during the lockdown in Italy, Philippines and the US. Its message (rather controversial) is clear and well supported by statistics and scientific findings. It states what I also believe is the truth and might also change the point of view of those who initially don't share the same ideas and opinions. Its main argument is that lockdowns didn't prevent at all the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The main study that backs the point comes from one of the best University in the World: Stanford.
The eye-opening interviews and data presentations are the intercuts of the story of an Italian-Filipino family who got separated due to travel restrictions, like many other families actually did. But here this family is the very own of director Soriquez who, during the months long forced separation, did his own research on the political and human impact of the lockdowns across several countries. What emerges is a painful truth: the cure has been worse than the disease. It might seems like a bit of an arduous statement but, sadly, there are many studies and researches (not all of them reported in this documentary of course) that well support it.
Particularly interesting in Pandemiocracy, is how the director stresses, through interviews, the important of a healthy lifestyle as a plus in successfully fighting this virus. It doesn't mean that if you are healthy you cannot be affected by it. There were cases, like the one of Leonardo Greco, where healthy and young people got it really bad. This serves as warning not to undermine the aggressiveness of this virus. But generally, the statistics have shown that the people that suffered and died because of it, were mainly old or with co-morbidity (diabetes, heart problems and so on).
One criticism I feel to bring forward is that the film uses a bit too much stock footage, even though well selected and almost always very relevant to the topic being discussed.
Another criticism is the use of AI narrating voices instead of warm human voices. I guess this was only due to budget considerations unless the director really wanted to make the cold reality he depicts even colder. This is somehow an interesting point.
The coverage of the murder of George Floyd was shocking with the parallelism of the unfortunately famous "I can't breath" cry of pain, with the shortness of breath of people kept breathing through respirators. It comes in my mind that 2020 is a real "I can't breath year" under all points of view. Even from those of millions of people kept captive inside their own homes.
The editing of this work (done by Soriquez) is really good and fast paced, as it always keeps the attention up. The importance of a good musical score is also well felt. All in all is a well-crafted documentary (mostly considered the budget that was put into it) that well presents its convincing point of view.
