Documentaries aren’t for everyone, however, they are a huge part of Netflix as the streaming platform has often capitalized on the love for true crime from their viewers. This time around, there is something a little different, but it slightly goes along with the theme of Christopher Nolan’s most recent movie that had a brilliant Oscar sweep recently, and yes, we are talking about Oppenheimer.
While everyone is aware of Oppenheimer as a movie, and the facts behind it, Netflix now brings viewers an extended version of the facts, aftermath, and history with Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War.
This latest documentary on the streaming platform is for the history buffs out there, but for anyone interested in the topic, it’s worth a watch. Keep reading our review to uncover our thoughts on Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War.
A Treat for the History Buffs
Directed by Brian Knappenberger, Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War is a nine-part series, each of which deserves a whole lot of attention, because you wouldn’t want to miss the little facts that are presented in this documentary series.
Turning Point has a lot of archival material at its disposal, and more importantly, it has several interviews, which serve as the crux of it all, and help narrate a tale that has been taught in schools all over the world.
Because Turning Point has nine episodes to look forward to, that makes it a heavy watch and nearly impossible to binge, unless you’re obsessed with the historical side of it all. However, for history buffs, chances are that they already know a lot of what is being told in Netflix’s documentary series. This ultimately brings us to the question, who really is the target audience for Turning Point?
It would be unfair to say that Turning Point wasn’t a success, especially as a documentary, as it ticked every little box that was possibly needed. However, it brings very little new material to the table, as the rest of it is available on the internet, and is simply one click away. Would the viewers truly invest almost 9 hours in a documentary series?
There’s some food for thought, but that also doesn’t disregard the fact that Turning Point was well made, and the use of interviews and the archival material makes it a charming endeavor that takes the viewers through a step-by-step process of the historical events, with a focus on “the bomb” and no, we haven’t overlooked its timing close to the release of a movie like Oppenheimer.
Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War is a time watch for anyone who loves history or whose curiosity has been piqued after the latest cinematic release and Oscar wins. Some of the best episodes of the documentary series are the 5th episode titled, “War Games” and the final episode, which is titled, “We are not Dead Yet.”
Conclusion
While Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is a well-made documentary that will keep you engaged, but not enough for a binge. So, we would recommend taking your time with this Netflix project.
