Titan - The OceanGate Disaster is a documentary about the titular 2023 event. Trust fund petulant narcissist Stockton Rush decided to "democratize" deep sea exploration(at $250k per ride that's pretty laughable) by using a carbon fiber hull, in lieu of steel or titanium, even though it was untested and widely determined to be insufficient. This was confirmed in countless tests and by countless experts and yet he persisted resulting in his(and four other individuals) needless and preventable deaths.
Through talking head interviews, archival news footage, and footage shot during OceanGate's operations this modern day retelling of Icarus is told. Themes of pride, naivete, single-mindedness, inflexibility, wealth, capitalism, abuse of power and position are explored.
What is, in essence, a relatively paint-by-numbers doc hits surprisingly hard as the story, the whys, are unspooled. Similar to the interest in Luigi Mangione the Titan implosion grabbed national and international interest as class inequity rises and class awareness comes further to the front in popular culture. At a two hour runtime there isn't a ton of analysis but there is a ton of information. Because of the sensational nature of the incident we are privy to the garish privations of the rich, their insatiable ego, the stupidity of certainty fostered by privilege. And ultimately there is tragedy but perhaps also justice at least in the case of Rush. The real disaster is that no one could or would stop him.
A fascinating if not particularly complex look at modern day hubris.
Currently streaming on Netflix.
See It.
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