Stewart Brand is one of the most important men that you’ve probably never heard of. He was once quoted saying “We Are As Gods and we might as well get good at it.” He sounds like a madman, like a person who believes we have far too much power, power that we can use to do anything we want. To some degree Brand is a madman, as he has dedicated his life to science in ways that most others believe to be impossible. His most recent endeavor, after having explored the world of psychedelics and cyberspace, is the idea of de-extinction. Brand looks toward the future, attempting to find ways to bring extinct species back into the world–and he believes he has the ability to do this.
We Are As Gods is as sophisticated and intellectual as any documentary I’ve ever seen–and a good portion of the film is incredibly difficult to follow. The overarching ideas of We Are As Gods is simple enough, but when Brand and his cohorts get down to the nitty gritty of their subject matter, of their research, it can become a struggle to follow. It’s interesting that Neil deGrasse Tyson is featured in archived footage toward the start of the film, because he’s known for being able to break down convoluted ideas for the world to understand at great and unexpected length. He feels like a strange juxtapositional piece that exists within the film, because even though everyone involved is incredibly smart, their ability to express these scientific ideas in a way for the world to understand pales in comparison to Tyson. I’m certain that this was not the intention of Directors David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg, but for those who are familiar with Tyson, that comparison inevitably exists throughout the duration of the film.
The subjects of the film feel untouchable, like their lives are so far out of reach. In an instant viewers feel like they have no control, and We Are As Gods feels less like it’s guiding viewers through a story and more like it’s dragging them. It’s a difficult film to follow, and it becomes challenging to focus as a result of this. On the flip side, however, viewers see these larger-than-life individuals, and it’s easy to look at them (through all of their struggles) and become envious to a degree. It’s incredibly easy to see these individuals and imagine that with that level of intellect life might be easier for us. We Are As Gods sort of becomes a guide for how to live life, how to exercise our minds and bodies in a way that makes life more enjoyable–which is interesting considering the semi-aggressive nature of how viewers are pulled through Brand’s narrative.
This group of Conservationists and Naturalists aim to express how we can save the world. Over the past thirty-ish years the idea of Global Warming has slithered its way into the narrative of the world, and it’s become, quite frankly, frustrating. Regardless of your views on the subject, the fact of the matter is that the advocates of Global Warming often take an in-your-face stance regarding the subject, and it can become overwhelming. While We Are As Gods can often feel larger than life in regard to its subject matter, the individuals who are passionate about righting the ship aren’t in your face–they are simply honest about their intentions, laid back in their explanations of everything they discuss.
We Are As Gods is a difficult film to read. On one hand the sophisticated nature of the content can be overwhelming, frustrating, even unintentionally aggressive at times–and it all comes from the mouths of these larger-than-life, seemingly untouchable, scientific minds. On the flip side, viewers see a group of massively talented individuals who are passionate about saving the world, and who are willing to take the steps necessary to accomplish this feat without shoving it down the throats of anyone watching. There’s a unique juxtaposition that exists throughout the course of We Are As Gods that I don’t believe is there intentionally. Alvarado and Sussberg certainly don’t want their audience to feel lost in the dark, confused about the content–but it proves the level of intellect that a number of these individuals possess nonetheless (and that is intriguing to a degree).
It certainly took some time for me to become fully connected to the people on screen, or to truly understand the purpose of what they were saying. I won’t lie, there were times when I zoned out, struggled to focus on the things occurring on screen. We Are As Gods is a difficult film to get into, and the majority of the film tends to leave its viewers in the dark. The purpose behind the documentary is valiant, and everyone involved has a massive, complex understanding of their content, but it’s not always enough to intrigue viewers. We Are As Gods doesn’t reach viewers as intended, and there are moments of struggle throughout the film. It’s full of passion, but that passion doesn’t always translate to viewers.
Writer & Directed by David Alvarado & Jason Sussberg.
Starring Stewart Brand, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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