The only conspiracy in Freefall: A Reckoning For Boeing is corporate rot
Even considering a whistleblower's mysterious death, Freefall: A Reckoning For Boeing only finds a familiar consequence of capitalism.
In a recent documentary, filmmaker Rory Kennedy explores the behind-the-scenes troubles of Boeing following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people aboard brand new planes. Kennedy's 2022 film, Freefall: A Reckoning For Boeing, builds upon her previous work, Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, which delved into the technical defects of the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The follow-up documentary focuses on the company's internal shifts, as seen through the eyes of former employee John Barnett.
Barnett, one of the whistleblowers interviewed in Kennedy's films, raised concerns about the company's decreasing safety standards during a deposition. However, he was found dead hours later, sparking conspiracy theories about what he might have known. While Barnett's death adds a tragic element to the story, it is ultimately the facts that matter.
The documentary paints a clear picture of how Boeing, once a symbol of aviation engineering excellence, let down its guard and cut corners to save money, putting profits over people.
The film highlights the outsourcing of manufacturing parts, the use of broken or missing components, and the approval of planes with faulty parts, leading to catastrophic consequences. Despite these revelations, Boeing's leadership continued to deflect blame and maintain an air of innocence. The film concludes by emphasizing that this is not a grand conspiracy, but rather a stark example of how even the best companies can fall from grace when short-term profits override long-term safety.
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