It’s the sensation that’s sweeping the globe, or erm, plane. Yes, the flat-earth theory is burgeoning and clamoring for attention now more than ever before. This goes without saying the flat-earth theory is nothing groundbreaking, in fact, it’s quite archaic. Disregarding how ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia conceived the planet’s cosmography eons ago, the modern turn of this theory dates back to the mid-1800s. Naturally, science has prevailed over such nonsense.
Nevertheless, flat-earth theory is at the beginning stages of a renaissance. By way of the internet and support from superstar athletes and figures (Kyrie Irving, B.O.B, Tila Tequila), flat-earth has garnered a cult-like adoration. This fascination has ballooned so much, that a documentary has been made to capture this growing, sad reality that many trick themselves into believing.
Directed by Daniel J. Clark, “Behind the Curve” is an intriguingly urgent and amusing doc that attempts to comprehend the ubiquitous conspiracy that is flat-earth. Through a two-dimensional model, which is a mere disk that includes a wall of ice as the outer ring of the surface, Flat-Earthers have and continued to refute centuries of observations that the Earth is round—yes, they even deny the blatant photographic evidence of the earth’s three-dimensional presence from space. Even with seemingly irrefutable proof of the earth’s spherical shape, why are people so damn drawn to this absurd belief? While the answer(s) is complicated, Clark’s documentary humbly delves into why this appeal persists.
The perpetuation of fake news by Trump’s America has given birth to an overwhelmingly irrational post-truth society. Spearheaded by psychotic conspiracists like Alex Jones, the belief that everything and anything can and should be questioned Is harmful. For many flat-earth believers, “Question Everything” has become their war cry and the bane of existence. Within the flat-earth construct of reality or lack thereof, science is utterly and unequivocally wrong. While distrusting the scientific elite and basic scientific principals seem like a bold attempt at seeking personal truth, this documentary suggests its merely a cry for acceptance and individuality.
For the purpose of drilling to the core of this sub-culture—this lifestyle, Clark gears his focus toward flat-earther’s three key figureheads but places particular emphasis on one in particular. His name is Mark Sargent. The Washington native is unique because he has helped revive this fantastical belief from the dead by extending into popular culture through his “unique findings.” According to Sargent, he came to the conclusion of a flat-earth like most individuals who share the same beliefs. Mark’s “a-ha” moment came on February 15, 2015, at 3:30 am when he was looking for ways to debunk the theory.
Through his observations of data associated with flight patterns, the possibility of a flat earth “ grew into something [Mark] couldn’t ignore any longer.” Since his conversion, Sargent has grown what he was once deemed, a curious survey into absurdity, into a way of life and a sense of purpose. “I didn’t choose flat-earth, it chose me,” Sargent unironically reflected as he donned a black and white t-shirt that read, “Love + Truth = Flat Earth.”
Much more than an endeavor to grasp the inexplicable, “Behind The Curve” prevails as a mostly impartial and touching probe into a billowing culture. Hilarious, informative but pressing. Clark’s documentary is on one level, a deep nosedive into the carelessness of humanity and how gullible and misinformed they are, and a sophisticated profile on a few of the theory’s key figures on another.
Lending a hand toward the film’s psychological aspects and understanding as to why its followers believe in what they believe in. “Behind The Curve” also follows Patricia Steere—a flat-earth reporter, podcaster and lover of Morrissey/ The Smiths. Making matters even more complicated, hints of a fling between Mark and Patricia are slowly revealed, though they maintain that their dynamic is a simple and “lovely symbiotic relationship,”
Contrary to Mark, who is also her colleague, Patricia is comparably looney. In addition to believing the world is flat, Patricia upholds the belief that the Vatican is behind chem-trails. Even worse, Patricia mentions that “she will not believe the Boston Marathon Bombing happened unless she was there and had her leg blown off.” Patricia is a breathing embodiment of the word “conspiracy.” At one point she laments the pressures of being conspired by others within flat-earth out of jealousy. Yes, you hear right, there are co-conspirators within this outlandish theory.
One of Patricia’s flat-earther critics is Matt Powerland, whose disdain carries over to Sargent as well. Though he’s explored less in detail, little information is needed to conclude that Powerland is the craziest of all crazies. Demanding a more substantial profit share to be interviewed for this documentary, Powerland’s abrasive attitude and rhetoric are eerily similar to Alex Jones. While he positions himself as some quasi-artist-astronomer, Powerland is a toxic douchebag who believes Sargent merely is “Warner Brothers,” that Steere is actually a lizard and that he should be adored like a prophet. Mentally unraveling like a roll of toilet paper, Powerland acts as the film’s unintentional antagonist. His condescending disconnect with the flat-earth community and inability to pin down his own anger makes his larger-than-life, archangel demeanor that much more intriguing.
Despite internal forces trying to dismantle the movement, Mark and Patricia remain unified, unshaken and believe the community could be and will be much larger than what it currently is, stating that many professors and teachers in our schooling system are “closeted flat-earthers.”
With some individuals becoming more involved, the growing conflict between ideologies is actually galvanizing. In fact, flat-earther’s core values/beliefs are being challenged. Though to some people, like Powerland, this may be threatening, the more dialogue, the more refined their theory becomes.
Needless to say, as the documentary progresses and fellow flat-earthers explain their theories and how they came to believe how the earth is flat, real scientists from places like UCLA, MIT chime in to talk about the misuse and abuse of the science and the scientific method concerning an increasingly post-truth society. All the scientists featured within stress the importance of differentiating between being skeptical and in denial. Dr. Spiros Michalakis of Cal Tech, on the other hand, believes that the reason for people buying into such ludicrous conspiracies like flat-earth-ism is because the problem does not lie within no education, but miseducation and poisoning of the well of knowledge. Spiro maintains that Science and its condescending scientists have pushed individuals who do not think or believe conventionally, to the fringe of society. “We leave bright minds to stagnate,” Spiro says. All this to mean, audiences are left with the possibility that it is the fault of science for nonsensical belief systems like flat-earth.
Without ever coming across as exploitive or arrogant to what is the reality, Clark delivers a real earnest effort by allowing these individuals like Mark, to have their voice finally heard for the whole world, not just flat-earthers, to understand. Though there is a humorous level of absurdity and irony to many of the moments depicted, “Behind The Curve” may very well incite hate for “coddling estranged behavior.” However, rest be assured, as “Behind the Curve” orbits to a complete stop, the earth will remain a spherical globe and tomorrow, the sun will rise in the east. [A-]
