Documentary film maker, Alex Gibney delivers a damning insight into the inner workings of the Church of Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard and current head David Miscavige in this methodical non-sensationalist two hour film. Using archival footage including much of the Church's own public relations material linked to personal interviews conducted by Gibney with several key former senior leaders of the Church, Gibney portrays an organisation which uses extensive psychological methods and harsh edicts to maintain control over its members. The invention of the pseudo science of 'Dianetics', the origins of the inner trusted body in the Church known as 'Sea Organisation' (or Sea Org), employment contracts set at a billion years and the war waged with the United States Internal Review Service for tax free status are just a few of the aspects which the film covers.
The relationship between the Church and its two star recruits, John Travolta and Tom Cruise is given attention particularly the close involvement between David Miscavige and Tom Cruise. The extent of the connection is now so visible that both men almost resemble each other in style and habits. The Church's involvement in the dissolution of the marriage between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman presents a particularly insidious insight into the tactics which the Church deploys. The use of private investigators, covert video surveillance and considerable harassment are commonly used methods for the persuasion of silence.
Alex Gibney has a number of well-regarded documentaries to his name including Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and Mea Maxima Culpa and won an Academy Award for his film Taxi to the Dark Side. This latest film adds to an impressive body of work and is a must-see for those with a concern about the operations of cults.
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