Who is Ronald Deibert? He is the author of an excellent book titled "Black Code," of which this mediocre documentary is partially based on. The book introduces readers not already in the know as to the hidden and darker areas of cyberspace, as well as to things like metadata, fibre-optic cables, and the democratizing force of citizen journalism, among a whole host of other Web-related stuff. It's a heavy and a disturbing read, but an important one.
As for BLACK CODE, the movie: It -- much like the book -- champions the need for privacy, for without which, it is said, there can be no democracy. But I found the movie rather poorly structured and, unlike the book, not all that informative.
The movie BLACK CODE examines a variety of human beings throughout the earth; specifically those who are living in locations and in regions where there appears to be a shortage of stand-up comics. I don't think too many people will watch this if in search of a light-hearted distraction. It plays as -- if not more -- ugly than the six-o'clock news, and we get a steady 90-minute dose of it.
There's numerous shots, mostly captured on mobile phones, of protesters; of law-enforcement officers with taser guns and stun grenades; there's accounts of torture; we're informed of the overly surveilled citizens of China; there's the account of a tragic killing of a peace activist; and then back to more images of street clashes with police, in some other part of the world. And all over, it seems, this thing called the internet. Although you wouldn't know it, if you had just started watching this at about the 1 hour mark. It was at this point that I began to lose interest. Read: captured confrontations, ad nauseum. If I didn't know any better, I would think BLACK CODE the movie was designed to make its audience feel depressed. Obviously, that is not what it sets out to do, but for me it had that effect. To the point that, at times, someone just tuning in would probably be at a loss as to what all the fuss was about.
The first hour is watchable, and is intriguing to listen to, whenever we get to hear from those at "Citizen Lab," where Deibert works as the director (at the University of Toronto), but aside from this, the rest of the production is a bit chaotic and was too gritty for my liking.
I wouldn't want to see it again. Whereas the book is a comprehensive and in-depth look at its varied content, BLACK CODE the movie seems content with only wanting to highlight one particular aspect of it, and in a rather unfocused manner to boot -- like watching a camera, hand-held and unsteady.
As for BLACK CODE, the movie: It -- much like the book -- champions the need for privacy, for without which, it is said, there can be no democracy. But I found the movie rather poorly structured and, unlike the book, not all that informative.
The movie BLACK CODE examines a variety of human beings throughout the earth; specifically those who are living in locations and in regions where there appears to be a shortage of stand-up comics. I don't think too many people will watch this if in search of a light-hearted distraction. It plays as -- if not more -- ugly than the six-o'clock news, and we get a steady 90-minute dose of it.
There's numerous shots, mostly captured on mobile phones, of protesters; of law-enforcement officers with taser guns and stun grenades; there's accounts of torture; we're informed of the overly surveilled citizens of China; there's the account of a tragic killing of a peace activist; and then back to more images of street clashes with police, in some other part of the world. And all over, it seems, this thing called the internet. Although you wouldn't know it, if you had just started watching this at about the 1 hour mark. It was at this point that I began to lose interest. Read: captured confrontations, ad nauseum. If I didn't know any better, I would think BLACK CODE the movie was designed to make its audience feel depressed. Obviously, that is not what it sets out to do, but for me it had that effect. To the point that, at times, someone just tuning in would probably be at a loss as to what all the fuss was about.
The first hour is watchable, and is intriguing to listen to, whenever we get to hear from those at "Citizen Lab," where Deibert works as the director (at the University of Toronto), but aside from this, the rest of the production is a bit chaotic and was too gritty for my liking.
I wouldn't want to see it again. Whereas the book is a comprehensive and in-depth look at its varied content, BLACK CODE the movie seems content with only wanting to highlight one particular aspect of it, and in a rather unfocused manner to boot -- like watching a camera, hand-held and unsteady.