Movies

Raoul Peck’s Brilliant Orwell: 2+2=5 Is the Boldest Documentary Anyone Could Make Right Now

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Raoul Peck is one of our most influential documentary filmmakers, not just delivering facts but inviting us to perceive and understand in unique ways. This approach is evident in his latest documentary, “Orwell: 2+2=5“, which will debut at the Cannes Film Festival. Even if you’re well-versed in George Orwell’s works, Peck’s film offers fresh insights; for those new to Orwell, it becomes clear why his ideas, though written over seven decades ago, resonate more profoundly than ever today. At times throughout the 20th century, novels like “Animal Farm” and “1984” might have appeared excessive or prophetic rather than inevitable, serving as cautionary tales instead of predictions about our future. However, in 2025, these books seem more like nonfiction than fiction. Orwell foresaw many aspects of life we experience today, and “Orwell: 2+2=5” encourages us to share his concerns for the world we live in now.

The 2016 film “I Am Not Your Negro,” directed by Peck, is an imaginative reinterpretation of the incomplete work James Baldwin was working on at the time of his death in 1987, providing a compelling mini-historical account of Black racial identity in America from the mid to late 20th century. Similarly, in “Orwell: 2+2=5,” Peck revisits a similar theme: sometimes, a writer’s final work can unintentionally become a powerful and defining statement. “Orwell: 2+2=5” starts with the beginning of an ending: in 1946, Eric Arthur Blair, later known as George Orwell, retreated to the rugged and picturesque Scottish island of Jura, where he completed his final book, which would be “1984.” In this novel, Winston Smith is a dutiful citizen living in a dystopian society who secretly dreams of rebellion. This makes him, among other prescient terms Orwell introduced in the book, a “thought-criminal,” leading to his capture and brutal re-education.

The novel “Orwell: 2+2=5” was released in 1949, a year before Orwell passed away due to tuberculosis, which he contracted while writing the book. The title is based on a mathematical fallacy that Orwell didn’t originate but used as an illustration of how humans can be manipulated into accepting lies as truths. This novel portrays Orwell’s final years and advocates for his work as a tool against forces aiming to erode our ability to think independently as human beings. Rich in detail and complexity, it tackles various themes within a runtime of approximately two hours, leaving you breathless as you try to keep up with its pace.

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that watching Peck’s documentary about George Orwell is nothing short of thrilling. It’s not just that his words seem contemporary; it’s more accurate to say that his thoughts feel as fresh as if he wrote them yesterday. Scenes from his books and essays, brilliantly narrated by Damien Lewis, blend seamlessly with real-world events like the aftermath of the Battle of Basra in Iraq or the heart-wrenching images of grief in 2023 Gaza.

Just when you’re pondering an insightful Orwell quote such as “To be corrupted by totalitarianism, one does not have to live in a totalitarian country,” a clever clip of George W. Bush declaring war on Iraq appears. Peck has a knack for pairing words with images. His intellectual depth is profound yet easily comprehensible. He manages to cover vast territories in a short span, providing us with a glimpse into Orwell’s life, including his time as a member of the Indian Imperial Police in Burma during the 1920s, an experience that significantly influenced his future political views. He even expresses remorse for being “part of the actual machinery of despotism.”

The documentary isn’t just about Orwell’s works; it also delves into his life story. We see clips from various films and television shows, not just the two adaptations of 1984, but also scenes from David Lean’s 1948 Oliver Twist and Sydney Pollack’s 1985 Out of Africa: Through these snippets, Peck paints a vivid picture of the world that molded Orwell, making the intricate class politics in Great Britain almost understandable.

Above all, Peck is unflinchingly outspoken about Orwell being a man of the past who might hold the answer to shaping our future. It may seem an overly ambitious claim for any individual-unless, of course, one has read Orwell. He was witty and engaging as well as thoughtful-the antithesis of pedantic and didactic. More than any other 20nd century English author, he grasped the power of language to deceive and corrupt. In his novel, 1984, Orwell created slogans so subtly sinister that it would take a brain-dead individual not to see the danger hidden within them. Peck highlights some of these in this documentary: “Freedom is slavery,” “War is peace.” These paradoxical statements, presented as truths, are meant to unsettle and realign our thinking; consider how easily an unscrupulous authoritarian leader could exploit such rhetoric, or how a complacent public might blindly follow. Peck doesn’t explicitly explain this-it’s clear enough from the documentary itself. Orwell: 2+2=5 comes across as a daring piece of filmmaking that is particularly relevant today. Another saying from 1984: “Ignorance is strength.” If you don’t feel this resonating with you, it suggests you are drifting through life unconsciously.

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2025-05-20 05:06

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