'Spaceship Earth' A Review

Spaceship Earth is a documentary about Biosphere 2 a pseudo environmental bio-dome project executed by an aging hippie commune and funded by a oil billionaire. The movie follows the group from it's inception in the 60's lead by the John Allen through their various projects, notably a farm and a ship, then the titular bio-dome through it's inevitable failure.

Through extensive archive footage and talking head interviews a particularly rosey and self-important picture emerges of the group, perhaps access to the footage and the subjects was contingent upon a particular portrayal, either way the subjects are never really pressed and their version of events is never particularly questioned. Notable among these omissions are many. The economics of survival chief among them. At one point during the movie there is a throw away to the group "doing projects" and "making companies" but this isn't explored or interrogated, later we find Ed Bass is the groups primary backer so what comes across is not a self-sustaining group but a trust fund commune. Also there is the allegation that the group is a "cult" which is unilaterally poo-pooed. John Allen being twenty years older than his seemingly mostly female and teenaged group-mates, at least at inception, there may not have been dark and sinister motives and manipulations but power dynamics absolutely came into play and we are left to believe the interpersonal dynamics were totally and completely innocuous. Lastly is this idea of "not regular science" which the subjects bring up repeatedly. It is unclear what, if any, credentials they have there is substantial footage of the group doing theatrical movement and vocal exercises but very little of them demonstrating actual knowledge and expertise so the whole idea of them doing anything at all in the scientific field that would have any impact at all is baffling, but we are again supposed to take their calling each other "geniuses" at face value for no reason.

Biosphere 2 was certainly an intriguing and odd news item in the early 90's when it was ongoing but Spaceship Earth is woefully fawning and posturing while delivering absolutely zero actual information. The group, and the movie, pay lip-service to environmental causes and concerns but their actions demonstrate them to actually be petulant, entitled, god-complex-ed charlatans.

An interesting and fringe piece of history goes irresponsibly unexamined in this boring piece of unintentional(?) propaganda.

Available to stream on Hulu.

Don't See It.