Bomb It!

 

Story:

Graffiti isn't simple vandalism; it's an artistic expression employed around the world. Filmmaker Jon Reiss travels five continents to reveal graffiti's history, cultural impact and social relevance. Noted artists share their stories, bringing this vital form of expression out of the shadows. It's on freeway overpasses, buildings and billboards. Now, see the real meaning of the world's graffiti (NetFlix).

Review:

While watching Bomb It, it’s hard not to imagine filmmaker Jon Reiss clearly being influenced by the documentary Step Into Liquid.  The goal of this exceptional film is to bring prominence and show diversity in an art form most might consider nothing more than a crime.  Where Dana Brown captured the beauty and mystique of his sport, Reiss highlights the raw power and energy of graffiti art.  Bomb It isn’t as powerful or memorable a film, but it is certainly something to be treasured.    

What Reiss does well is capture the visuals of what he films.  IT sounds easy enough to find a diversity of colors in graffiti, but he doesn’t just film it, he highlights and accentuates it.  When needed, he accentuates various aspects of the art using animations and CGI graphics.  The best example of this work is as an artist describes a specific tag, walking viewers through each letter.  Reiss adds to this educational moment by having the letters literally pop off the wall.  It’s both beautiful and flat out cool to witness.    

Reiss also understands his subject matter and puts forward a great piece that embodies the soul of graffiti artists everywhere.  Whether it’s the music, the animations, the ‘graffiti-like’ fonts or the filming and editing style there is something about Bomb It that is reminiscent of guerrilla warfare, modern art and anarchy all rolled into one beautiful mess.   The shame of it is that it’s not enough of a mess.  At times, Reiss tries to be too organized, letting his film flow from country to country in a nice neat fashion.  There is no dialogue between artists from LA and Paris.  They are all singular and isolated, despite being relatively similar.  Unlike a documentary Like Step Into Liquid where diversity could be seen within the characters, these men and women all seem to share the same passions, political viewpoints, etc.  Sure there are some notable exceptions, but it’s hard to highlight them when they don’t appear to be engaging in dialogue. Then again, the only dialogue that is discussed is undeveloped.  The notion of graffiti as art or crime is raised intermittently throughout Bomb It but never explored beyond a cursory level.  What does it mean to have public space and free speech?  How do those relate to graffiti art?  Is graffiti art and should it be on display in museums?   Is graffiti a gateway to violence? These are all questions that are addressed in Bomb It, but never given much depth.  Understandably, Reiss is focused on introducing audiences to the graffiti world, not starting a debate.  But, the second he strolls down these paths, he is inadvertently drawing audiences to more serious questions that are not satisfactorily addressed. Then again, the major issue some people may have with Bomb It is that it seems to scream, “pay attention to us as we don’t care about your attention.”  Does a film that places those who hate the pedestal on a pedestal really work?  The answer to this question will very from person to person and will inevitably decide if you appreciate this documentary or not.  From my standpoint, it doesn’t work flawlessly, but it’s certainly worth every bit the time and energy you put into it.

Reviewed by Matthew Abshire for Documentary Film Online on August 10, 2009

In Conclusion: