I am always a bit sceptical when journalists decide that they have become big enough to be the story.
That's not to say I do not admire Swedish film director, Fredrik Gertten. I most certainly do.
The way he has stood up to the corporate big boys has been in the finest tradition of investigative journalism.
But I couldn't say this Bananas!* postscript told me any more about multi-nationals that I didn't already know. Also, it is worth mentioning that if you haven't seen Bananas!* you probably won't understand what is going on in this new documentary.
Essentially, this charts the attempt by American fruit company Dole to try to stop the distribution of Gertten's investigation into their practices on their plantations in Nicaragua.
His central accusation was that the pesticides used by Dole were making local men infertile.
Unsurprisingly, Dole's huge publicity and legal machine teamed up to discredit the film-makers and the lawyer working on behalf of the Nicaraguans and that is the basis for this latest film.
Dole managed to put the frighteners on the likes of the LA Film Festival where Bananas!* withdrawn from competition and persuaded many TV and newspaper outlets to publish stories supporting its stance.
Did that shock me? I guess I've seen enough Dogwoof docs to know how corporate America works so, honestly, the answer was no.
It seems to me that the United States may purport to be the land of the free and the steadfast upholder of democracy but the reality is that it is the home to corporate bullies ranging from Goldman Sachs to Monsanto to Dole.
There is a reason these companies have become so huge and incredibly influential - they like getting there own way.
And, as said, it is to Gertten's great credit that he took them on and won (that isn't a spoiler - how would we have seen Bananas!* if he hadn't?).
It's just that I found a movie about the battle rather repetitive and a little bit self-indulgent.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 5/10
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