“We may come to a point and time when Earth is asking us, “do you know what you are doing?’” That’s one of the lines of the voiceover in Oliver Stone’s new documentary, “Nuclear Now.” Has Stone gone off the reservation in recent years, seemingly backing Vladimir Putin, defending Harvey Weinstein, and coming up with all kinds of controversial ideas and statements? Well, maybe, but maybe more true to form—as he’s constantly challenged conventional wisdom— Stone seems to ask us to rethink what we assume are foundational truths.
Take this documentary, for example. In the trailer, Stone basically posits that nuclear energy and nuclear power could be a solution to solving climate change and, in it, essentially ask us to untrain ourselves to the idea that nuclear energy—so connected to the notion of nukes and destructive potential—could be harnessed for good.
Now, in no way, shape, or form am I endorsing Stone’s claim, nor have I seen the documentary. But when you really think about it—see “JFK” and many of the films he made that contested the way the history books have told us a narrative—this has always been Stone’s remit. Now, is it close to conspiracy theory? It’s certainly a thin line, and these days, most people who try and contest conventional thinking—i.e., COVID-19 isn’t bad, you can save yourself with Ivermectin, for example—are generally huge f*cking quacks. The jury is out on where Stone is these days, and likely, to get a true sense of it and not have statements taken out of context, you’d have to really sit down with him and probe. But, in the meantime, he’s got “Nuclear Now,” which is his passionate plea to reexamine what we think about nuclear energy and how it can be harnessed for good, which in theory, could be beneficial if there aren’t adverse outcomes. Regardless, here’s the official synopsis:
As fossil fuels continue to cook the plant, the world is finally becoming forced to confront the influence of large oil companies and tactics that have enriched a small group of corporations and individuals for generations. Beneath our feet, Uranium atoms in the Earth’s crust hold incredibly concentrated energy- science unlocked this energy in the mid-20th century, first for bombs and then to power submarines, and the United States led the effort to generate electricity from this new source. Yet in the mid-20th century, as societies began the transition to nuclear power and away from fossil fuels, a long-term PR campaign to scare the public began, funded in part by coal and oil interests. This campaign would sow fear about harmless low-level radiation and create confusion between nuclear weapons and nuclear power.
With unprecedented access to the nuclear industry in France, Russia, and the United States, iconic director Oliver Stone explores the possibility for the global community to overcome challenges like climate change and reach a brighter future through the power of nuclear energy- an option that may become a vital way to ensure our continued survival sooner than we think.
“Nuclear Now” takes viewers on an educational and thought-provoking journey with legendary director Oliver Stone as he explores the powerful impact of nuclear energy. Following its premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, Abramorama films will release the movie theatrically on April 28. Watch the first trailer below and check out our interview with Stone about “Nuclear Now” from Venice here.
