Review: Zeitgeist: Addendum

Written by Peter Joseph
Directed by Peter Joseph
Produced by GMP LLC
Running Time: 123 minutes
Official Website: http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

With the success of Peter Joseph's conspiracy theory epic, Zeitgeist, The Movie, a follow-up was only a matter of time. Premiering at the Artivist Film Festival earlier this month, Zeitgeist: Addendum is every bit as ambitious as the original.

Focusing primarily on the fundamental flaws of our world economic and monetary systems, its biting social commentary is certainly topical considering the current credit crisis. And whereas the first Zeitgeist stopped short of offering any solutions to the social ills it riles against, Addendum provides and equal amount of hope with the doom and gloom.

If you're depressed over working 9 to 5 with nothing to show for it but debt and heartache, this is the movie for you.

Before jumping into Zeitgeist: Addendum, you should know that, despite the title, this film is no mere appendix. Running just over two hours, it is more than capable of standing on its own as a full-length documentary film. When taken as a companion piece to the original Zeitgeist, however, Addendum rectifies one of its predecessor's primary flaws by suggesting alternatives to our institutional paradigm. But before getting to these alternatives, you must first face on in-depth analysis of our monetary system--as system Joseph feels is hopelessly broken.

Another title for this film could have been Zeitgeist: Everything You Wanted to Know About Money But Were Afraid to Ask. With terms like inflation and the Federal Reserve flying freely and frequently, this segment could easily have been dull. Yet by combining a careful breakdown of the facts with quality visual aids, these scenes are understandable, informational and, dare I say it, entertaining.

As I sat watching, one line really got me thinking. Regarding the concept of money equaling debt, "Every single dollar in your wallet is owed to somebody, by somebody." This is just one example of the many ah-ha! moments you can expect.

According to Joseph, the name of the game in world affairs is economic power. More specifically, the exploitation of that power. He attempts to show this by way on an interview with "economic hitman" John Perkins. Although proving the authenticity of Perkins' testimony would be difficult (and perhaps a subject for another film), they are frightening if taken at face value. By going through a list of regime changes he claims were the product of intervention by the CIA and private corporations, a solid case is made for the existence of a global "corporatocracy" instituting a system of modern slavery.

But fear not, because Joseph has a solution. The main point of the second half of the film is that the key to the future of mankind is moving away from a money-based economy. A better alternative, a resource-based economy, is presented as a society in which humanity fully embraces its greatest strength: technology. Through interviews with Jacque Fresco and Roxanne Meadows of the Venus Project (a think tank dedicated to social and industrial engineering), as well as 3D animations showing off the possibilities for future communities, Joseph suggests that we are capable of sustaining ourselves without the corrupting forces of corporations and banks. In essence, it's the kind of future championed by Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek. It is admittedly not a perfect society, but it's one where we would be free to pursue our lives as we see fit.

It is an out-there concept, and one that I wouldn't expect to come to fruition at any point in the near future...but still, I'm glad Joseph was bold enough to break the norm of the conspiracy theory documentary genre. If nothing else, it provides a sense of hope that these films usually lack.

By keeping the formula of the original Zeitgeist, while also addressing many of its flaws, Zeitgeist: Addendum is a worthy successor. It should not be missed by fans of the original film or anyone frustrated by the complexity of global economics.