Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World

2016 documentary

Rating: 14/20

Plot: A look at the history, the effects, and the future of the Internet.

In Werner Herzog's capable hands, what could have been a dull look at a dull topic ends up fascinating and strange. There are moments that are informative, moments that are almost touching, moments that are surprising and funny, and moments that are nearly terrifying.

This is broken into ten chapters. It begins with the history of the net, dives into Internet addiction, touches on people who have allergic reactions to cell phone towers, aliens, and the dangers of artificial intelligence. If there's a weakness, it's a bit all over the place. It almost feels like the chapters should have been 20 minute episodes in a web series instead of lumped together in one documentary feature.

But Herzog's got a knack for finding interesting, somewhat eccentric individuals and letting them go nuts on camera about their passions. There's a lot of that here, and Herzog's voice--always welcomed--chimes in to talk about how ugly a hallway is painted or whatever else he feels like saying. For fans of Herzog's documentaries, this is yet another example of the director finding a little humor in the darkness.