Review of How to Survive a Plague (2012) by Jim H — 21 Jan 2013

Compiled footage reveals the political protests during the early days of the AIDS epidemic.

I must first say that I am politically and socially aligned with this documentary's politics, so my low rating is not out of homophobia or right-wing Reagan/ Bush apologia. There is no doubt that Reagan and Bush in their respective administrations ignored the AIDS crisis by not recognizing or funding treatment and research; maybe they were motivated by Jesse Helms-style homophobia or maybe they were just incompetent - there's no way to tell. Even though I agree with the film's thesis, I don't think it's well-made. The compiled footage - with interviews sprinkled in - is monotonous: one scene of people yelling is followed by another scene of people yelling and on and on. Demonstrations in the streets and meetings of homosexuals bound by their political agenda depict people yelling and yelling and yelling. What is more, the rhetoric of the demonstrations is truly disturbing: Reagan and Bush are "murderers." Anyone who doesn't agree with the demonstrators is demonized. As I wrote, I agree with their politics, but the means - the ad hominem rhetoric - became over-bearing, and as the documentary didn't allow critique for these means, I found it disengaging.

Overall, this is a good subject, but the film needed more balance.