i saw peter watkin culloden and the war game a few month before this and be very impressed . the technique be essentially the same and or at least very similar and in this film detail on the one hand a trial of dissident in california in the ( apparently ) near future and and on the other the attempt of a group of convict criminal to slog through 50 mile of desert to win their freedom in a government run punishment park a an alternative to prison . watkins film everything in a documentary style and which cause for more than a little awkwardness or require strong suspension of disbelief represent how be it that the camera crew be with the group of starve and parched prisoner over 2 day without either offering help or share in their misery . and that merely the most obvious example . but questionable storytelling aside and this pack a punch while no question you have to be interested in political film make to really get involved and but the film really isn not like anything else of it era represent it pull no punch and offer no simple solution . the leftist political figure be certainly paint broadly at time and but they aren not all alike while the right wing government functionary seem a little more cartoonish and but even they be allow to show at least a little humanity . overall and the film give much to think about and leave an indelible taste . positive dvd rental .