It seems that every few months, those of us who follow the UFO topic are promised an exciting new documentary guaranteed to blow our collective minds. Although this ‘phenomenon’ isn’t unique to the present wave of UFO-centric films, TV shows, and podcasts, as nearly every UFO documentary I can remember dating back to the 1980s and 1990s worked to position itself as the definitive, seminal work on the subject, it has definitely increased in frequency since 2017.
Some have arguably gotten close to the mark, with filmmaker James Fox’s The Phenomenon standing out as a largely comprehensive account of a topic that has fascinated folks since at least the 1940s. In other cases, like J.J. Abrams’s multi-part Showtime series UFO, these documentaries can often feel like a retread of old news repackaged once again for an audience that, in many cases, is more versed in the material than the filmmakers themselves. Still, even that series has its high points and would not be wasted on someone who is new to the topic and wants to dive in with both feet.
So, at the risk of repeating a mistake made far too many times in the review of a new UFO documentary, I am pleased to say that the film Accidental Truth: UFO Revelations, which will be released on Tuesday, April 18th, may actually be one I would recommend to veterans and newbies alike.
First, there is enough generalized subject review here for someone new to the world of UFOs, more than enough to snicker at for the skeptics among us who find the whole thing silly but somehow can’t stop watching for fear they may actually end up missing the big reveal (or they just hate seeing someone else having a good time), and a whole lot of meat when it comes to the big enchilada that nearly all of us who find the topic to be a legitimate mystery worth investigating secretly wonder about: does the U.S. Government have crashed UFOs and maybe even bodies, and are the pilots of these vehicles something other than human?
The film’s presentation is also first-rate. Acclaimed actor Mathew Modine offers a narration that is both smart and haunting, keeping the viewer locked in as if the most important piece of information is about to be revealed at any moment. And, thankfully, more often than not, it pays off by doing exactly that.
Another key component that makes Accidental Truth highly watchable is the fact that the director interviewed nearly all of the film’s subjects himself. So, aside from the occasional piece of footage taken from other interviews and documentaries, the entire film has a fresh, consistent style to it that doesn’t make you feel like you are being jerked from place to place, as so many of these clip-heavy films do.
So, for those of you who actually want to find out what it is that we do (and don’t) really know about crash retrievals, alien bodies, and the concept of non-human intelligence, who wonder if those in power are lying about it or if this whole thing is all just modern mythology gone amok (or you need another good laugh at our expense), this is the documentary for you.
Either way, here is a summary of the three main segments in the film and my reactions to each.
