The Long Take: Alex’s War - A Review

Is this perhaps the best way to explore a conspiracy theorist?

One thing to know about conspiracy theories is that it all starts when the world suddenly becomes more abnormal than ever. Once this revelation happens, a person would be more than willing to dig deeper in confirming and rationalising a school of thought that’s rather seductive and illogical. I remember when I was editing a student magazine, I spoke with a colleague about various things. Then the topic of Alex Jones popped up, and I told him that one of his most infamous moments was mentioning that the “chemicals in the water are turning the frogs gay.” The sub-editor then says, “he’s not wrong” and elaborated on the study that was cited on his show. This isn’t to say that he himself is a conspiracy theorist, but that he was quite sympathetic to people who brand themselves as misunderstood outcasts. And he’s not the only person holding that opinion, as the phrase “Alex Jones Was Right” has become a meme in order to confirm these theories to be true.  

Since being de-platformed by many of the major online platforms - YouTube, Apple, Facebook and Spotify - Alex Jones became forbidden fruit; a conspiracy theorist who broadcast his thoughts that would, to some people, endanger American democracy. Any sense of association, whether it would be a photo with him or providing an interview, is to be condemned for giving him space to air his worst possible thoughts. The reasons for objections are justifiable. During the Sandy Hook massacre, Jones egregiously alleged that the victims were fake actors, and has been sued numerous times by the parents affected. Among many things, he promoted the idea that the September 11 attacks were an ‘inside job’ and Infowars has claimed that MMR vaccines cause unusual side effects, including autism.   

It is particularly rare to find long-form documentaries about Alex Jones, and Alex’s War, directed by Alex Lee Moyer hopes to bridge that gap. In its introduction, the documentary claim to be “a constructed effort to promote discussion, and to offer an authentic depiction of the subject matter,” rather than a hagiographic puff piece that overshadows some of his significant flaws. Predictably, that allegation has been a source of controversy from the get-go, with Gawker going so far as to claim that Thomas Chatterton Williams, far from a fan, attended the premiere in Alex Jone’s hometown of Austin, Texas. (It has since been retracted and deleted). 

Moyer is fascinated by men on the fringes of mainstream acceptance, and Alex Jones perfectly fits that criterion. This was not the first time she faced the heat for this interest. Her previous documentary TFW NO GF, centres on young, desolated men living out their darkest thoughts on the Internet, which many presumed to be incels. (In an interview with Matt Taibbi, Moyer denies that the phenomenon was on her mind when making the film). It was derided by critics for not depicting them as despicable people that they’re typically portrayed by mainstream outlets. In spite of being a fly on the wall, Moyer becomes absorbed in their activities and since its release, confessed that they still remain friendly with her. 

Where TFW NO GF is more low-key and experimental, Alex’s War is Moyer’s most ambitious project. It is dominated by Jone’s in-your-face personality and it certainly complements the dispassionate style that she goes for. As she told New York Magazine during the premiere, it provides a meta element to Jones’ banishment, where a lack of narration allows him to steal the show and potentially blur the lines between breaking down the intention with which he analyses the news and his aggressive theatrics. The editing, done by Alex Lee Moyer, adds to his development as a political figure. While tracking down much of his roots and motivations, he’s the feature of a protest rally in November 2020, surrounded by his acolytes who claimed that the election was stolen, cheering him on wherever he goes. It adds a triptych structure that brings along the peak of the American id, which Jones, for better or worse, is the personification of it.