“Musk” reminds you of how much you already know about Elon

If you are not a fan of Elon Musk or not particularly interested in him, you may still find Alex Gibney's new documentary "Musk" revealing. The film delves into how Musk has assumed significant power and the reasons behind it. Through interviews with colleagues and partners, the first half of the documentary covers Musk's rapid rise, from PayPal to Tesla's electric vehicles, SpaceX's Starlink satellites and reusable rockets.

The second half explores his foray into politics and artificial intelligence, revealing how pandemic rules and his daughter's gender transition influenced his political leanings. Gibney presents Musk as a "free-speech absolutist" who purchased Twitter and attempted to run it like Tesla. After Trump installed him in the White House, Musk tried to achieve the same in the federal government.

Musk himself did not grant an interview, calling Gibney a "douche" and "crackpot." Instead, Gibney uses a digital avatar of Musk to speak the things he's said publicly, a tactic that highlights the ubiquity of Musk's influence. The documentary raises questions about the possible misuse of data gathered by Musk's associates at DOGE and reflects on Musk's troubled childhood in South Africa, where he was bullied and abused by his father.

The film explores Musk's fragile self-esteem and constant need for validation, suggesting that this may stem from his troubled upbringing. While "Musk" attempts to uncover Musk's motivations and the impact of his actions, it straddles two opposing viewpoints: one that sees Musk as a risk-taking visionary, and another that portrays him as a self-promoting grifter taking credit for things he may not have accomplished.

Ultimately, the film raises questions about the role of documentaries in an era of social media and rolling news, and leaves audiences wondering if they've been living in a giant documentary about Elon Musk.