Unable to interview either Assange, who’s sequestered in London’s Ecuadoran Embassy in order to avoid extradition for U.S. espionage and Swedish sex charges, or Manning, who was in seclusion under military arrest, Gibney turns instead to friends and colleagues of both men to paint parallel portraits as well as to government insiders for analysis and parses of existing footage for insight. Meanwhile, a voiceover offers clear explanations of not only how the Internet works but the political context in which the events take place.
Most compelling, though, are Manning’s own words, in the form of Internet chats he engaged in with Adrian Lamo, a lethargic hacker who uses Star Trek’s Kobayashi Maru scenario to explain the conundrum he faced when he betrayed the lonely kid with gender-identity issues. Typed across the screen, Manning’s thoughts and feelings engender profound sympathy for a clearly unstable individual with perhaps the noblest motives in the whole scandal. On the other hand, Assange starts out as a brash idealist but by the end of the doc comes off as greedy, paranoid and egomaniacal—all things he railed against throughout his early career.
We Steal Secrets unfolds as a stylish spy thriller, but Gibney is at a disadvantage because the story’s not over, and Manning’s leak, while integral to WikiLeaks’ notoriety, overshadows the organization’s other activities. Indeed, the film leaves the impression that WikiLeaks flamed out after the Manning episode, when in fact the organization is alive, if not well—most recently launching a campaign to debunk Gibney’s doc. Still, the film is fascinating and provocative, deftly navigating complex personalities and shifting allegiances.
Director: Alex Gibney
Starring: Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, Adrian Lamo
Release date: May 24, 2013
