Movie Reviews

‘Spaceship Earth’ Review – They Almost Changed the World

By Dom Fisher
May 6, 2020
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Synopsis:

Spaceship Earth is the true, stranger-than-fiction, adventure of eight visionaries who in 1991 spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem called BIOSPHERE 2. The experiment was a worldwide phenomenon, chronicling daily existence in the face of life threatening ecological disaster and a growing criticism that it was nothing more than a cult. The bizarre story is both a cautionary tale and a hopeful lesson of how a small group of dreamers can potentially reimagine a new world.

The thing that makes a documentary remarkable is not only its topic or storytelling. No, it’s both those aspects along with its most important trait, its timing. Some documentaries are like a roller coaster ride, wild, exciting, and worth a repeated experience. While others are like post-ride photos or videos, reliving the past and noticing things that you hadn’t while you were in the moment. Then there is Spaceship Earth, a combination of not just the two variations but of past and future. When most of us think about a self-engineered replica of Earth, we think of Bio-Dome and the hijinks of Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin. However, it is an experiment that actually happened and many remember. The doc delves into the early 90s’ never done before experiment, Biosphere 2. Also, more importantly, the commune and/or cult behind it. Inspired by science and science fiction, Biosphere 2 was designed and created in order to study the effects humans have on the atmosphere we inhabit and whether or not we could start from scratch on Mars. Why Mars? The group was deeply invested in climate change and thought that eventually, humanity would destroy Earth. Locked inside for two years, a small group of what they call biospherians take on the task of maintaining and living within the little Earth on Earth without help or oxygen from the outside.

With quarantine life being very real and unusual and climate change being ever-present, the parallels of this documentary are eerily similar. Let me not forget the corruption of scientific innovation by Wallstreet and big money. What makes this story so intriguing is that the idea was not only revolutionary but it was done by a group that simply did what they put their minds to. It’s rather motivational at times, even if itis unintentional. Lead by an eccentric bright mind named John Allen, he draws in other free thinkers and corrals them into odd exercises and exploration. Initially, I assumed this was going to be a sensationalized cult of personality story, since we have Tiger King on the brain, but it delivers much more. It offers scandal, wonderment, as well as a glimpse of what could be done present day to prevent a global catastrophe. Towards the end, the experiment leaves you wondering if the goal was innovative science or theatrical nonsense, and if the group was a commune, cult, or corporation or if it even really matters. During its time it seemed crazy and misguided but it perhaps could’ve changed the world. I felt they could’ve dug deeper to really expose some of the things that resulted in its failure, but seemed to not want to rock the boat too much. Nevertheless, overall, it’s a very interesting, enjoyable, and informative watch.

Plot & Pace

While this doc covers a wide range of players, the focus is on John Allen, the leader of a commune and/or cult. Being a forward-thinking person and growing up in a time of togetherness, he is able to form a group of like-minded people to attempt something that the world has never seen done. As a collective, they design and build a space-aged domed ecosystem and attempt to prepare for an uncertain future. With the world watching, the biospherians are under a microscope and the slightest wrong move could undermine the entire experiment. Then what becomes the bigger story, the experiment, or the eclectic team that put it all together? I thought the story moved along at a pretty steady pace and held my attention very well. Also, it provided a good balance between being about the experiment as well as the people involved.

Characters & Chemistry

The majority of the subjects of this documentary were people we would deem as, ahead of their time. No matter what your judgment of the group is, they took steps in the direction of changing the world and how we live in it. Not only was that something remarkable but something we should celebrate and further. I’m sure the biospherians inspired contemporary and future scientists and minds alike to look at our world in a different light and that’s what makes this documentary special.

Spaceship Earth will be available on VOD on May 8th. Enjoy and stay safe.