Ascension

A revelatory look at modern life in industrial China, from the lowest tiers of society to the most elevated. A must-watch film for anyone who wants to better understand this global competitor, and the cost that humans pay to supply us with cheap goods.

"The Chinese Miracle," with its astounding economic growth in a relatively short time, has inspired awe around the globe, and the nation's zealous adherence to "the Chinese Dream" has contributed significantly to that outcome. Similar in nature to the American Dream, the Chinese version is driven by a belief in hard work and dedicated diligence as a pathway to affluence. But, as director Jessica Kingdon's excellent new documentary effectively shows, is that dream attainable or illusory? The film clearly depicts China's relentless drive for perfection and success in all endeavors, showing how supposed opportunities for advancement are available at virtually all levels of the economy. However, do those opportunities genuinely translate into hoped-for outcomes, or are they merely ploys to squeeze out peak performance from naive underclass workers who believe the promise and are willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead? Meanwhile, the film also illustrates the opulent degree of privilege that comes with wealth, but is this something that everyone can realistically share in, despite assurances to the contrary? The picture's inventive cinematography, frequently backed only by the movie's engaging score and minimal dialogue, an approach reminiscent of prior visually focused documentary works like "Koyaanisqatsi" (1982) and "Samsara" (2011), shows more than tells in conveying these themes, immersing viewers in imagery designed to profoundly conveying these intents. For all these strengths, though, the narrative tends to stray somewhat at times, especially toward the film's end, but that's easily overlooked in the picture's overall context. What's perhaps most significant, however, are the parallels between what's transpired in China and what appears to be unfolding here in the US as it begins modeling itself more after its overseas competitor as a means to keep pace. And that should be a caution to all of us before we fall prey to illusory notions ourselves.

'Ascension' puts us into the middle of the Chinese dream, an aspiration that, of course, is all about success. Director Jessica Kingdon employs zero narration and lets the images speak for themselves. Throughout the film, she explores the life, dreams, and frustrations of workers and rich people in modern China. It's very interesting to see how wealth isn't the true objective of the Chinese, but being recognized as the one who pulled it off. That's what we see during the influencer workshops scenes, where hundreds of people desperate to build a fan base are taught to sell any kind of product — and it's very shocking to remember how much trash are we capable of producing. There's a voyeuristic sense in 'Ascension' that allows Kingdon to make no judgment of this way of life — not that different from the western one when you think about it —, but there are moments where a little context would've helped expand on the general idea of the documentary. Nevertheless, this is a somewhat successful experiment that immerses you in a complex society and its crushing but effective work culture.