‘Icarus: The Aftermath’ Evaluate: Doping Doc Sequel Takes on Russia

More often than not, documentaries don’t get sequels, which is unusual. In contrast to their scripted fiction counterparts, the story doesn’t finish when the cameras cease rolling. If you happen to’ve ever attended a filmmaker Q&A after the screening of an excellent documentary, you recognize the primary query from the viewers is sort of inevitably both “What’s occurred since?” or “The place are they now?” Bryan Fogel should have heard that extra instances than he can rely within the 5 years since his game-changing Russian sports activities doping doc “Icarus” received the Academy Award. “Icarus: The Aftermath” is his response, a daring and sure-to-be-divisive film that’s much more surprising than the 2017 unique, even when the massive information is already out of the bag.

“The Aftermath” follows Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov — former head of the Russian anti-doping company RUSADA — for 5 years, embedding itself within the paranoid new actuality that awaits him within the West after revealing inside information of the frilly conspiracy by the Russian sports activities institution to cowl up their use of efficiency enhancing medication. Unbelievable and enraging in equal doses, the venture performs like a tense spy thriller as Rodchenkov is assigned a safety group and shuffled from one secure home to a different, whereas enemies of the state — Sergei Skripal and Alexei Navalny — are poisoned with the Russian nerve agent Novichok.

Looking back, it’s form of superb that Fogel acquired the news within the first place. The purpose of his unique documentary had been broader: to exhibit that just about anybody might idiot a doping take a look at. “Icarus” was conceived as a “Tremendous Dimension Me”-style stunt, of which Fogel deliberate to function his personal guinea pig, taking the medication himself and discovering a approach to move. In some unspecified time in the future within the course of, he reached out to Rodchenkov and struck gold — the scientist had been struggling an moral disaster for a while and determined to return clear — and Fogel reshaped his movie round these bombshell revelations.

For the director, changing into the custodian of Rodchenkov’s secret offered an unlimited private accountability: “Icarus” put his new good friend’s life in peril, which meant that Fogel basically had to assist engineer his defection to the West, after which Rodchenkov was pressured into hiding (for his personal safety). Throughout this course of, Fogel obtained permission to maintain filming. One cameraman, Jake Swantko, was allowed to shadow Rodchenkov, an exuberant, heavy-drinking character who tries his finest to keep up some form of optimism, though it’s clear he’d basically traded his freedom for a transparent conscience.

And to what finish? Shortly after the primary movie was launched, the Olympic committee suspended Russia. That definitely despatched a press release, although in follow, the penalty was principally for present: On the subsequent Olympic Video games, Russian athletes continued to compete in sure sports activities (like hockey). A short while later, the Court docket of Arbitration for Sports activities decreased the ban from 4 years to 2. Russia, it appears, was too massive to bench.

In the meantime, Rodchenkov had turn into a political goal. Speaking heads went on Russian state TV and insisted that he be imprisoned or shot. Putin gave an interview during which he stated, “Typically, treason is the best crime on earth. And traitors needs to be punished.” No marvel Rodchenkov fears for his life. (In 2016, Rodchenkov’s No. 2 at RUSADA, Nikita Kamaev, died of a suspicious coronary heart assault.)

In witness-protection sequences that will remind audiences of their very own time in quarantine, Swantko movies Rodchenkov consuming, exercising and dying his hair. The refugee makes video calls to his spouse Veronika again in Russia, however the relationship is in hassle. Will they ever be united once more? For a time, there’s a really actual menace that Russia might try to extradite Rodchenkov again to face trial. He applies for political asylum and considers present process cosmetic surgery. Reuniting with Veronika doesn’t appear potential, lending a dimension of tragedy to their four-decade romance.

To maintain from going loopy, Rodchenkov writes in his diary, which opens up one of many movie’s most fun subplots. It seems, he’s stored detailed journals for nearly 40 years, that are safely stashed someplace in Russia. “Icarus: The Aftermath” shifts from spy thriller to heist film for a spell, as Rodchenkov’s authorized group sends an agent to retrieve these books, which corroborate his claims (that are reenacted by way of unattractive animated sequences, detailing ). Because it’s straightforward sufficient for Putin to insist that they have been all fabricated just lately, Fogel movies forensic scientists authenticating the journals.

“The issue of Russia is that nobody can inform the reality,” Rodchenkov explains, insisting, “I’m not in opposition to Russia. I’m in opposition to systematic mendacity.” Bear in mind, “Icarus” started as a movie about dishonest in sports activities; “The Aftermath” is a a lot larger story, taking up the dishonesty, violence and intimidation of a corrupt regime. Say what you’ll about Rodchenkov and his motives (the Russian TV clips are brutal on this regard), however there’s one thing undeniably heroic within the sacrifices he makes to problem Putin’s energy.

The film introduces others who really feel the identical, reminiscent of Yuri Ganus, new head of RUSADA, whom Fogel first interviews on the Play the Recreation sports activities convention. Regardless of huge stress from Putin and the Russian public, Ganus sincerely makes an attempt to scrub up the system. His efforts aren’t appreciated, to say the least, to the extent that Fogel asks Vogel whether or not he would additionally wish to flee Russia at one level. Contemplating how central Fogel had made himself in “Icarus,” there’s shocking little of him within the follow-up. That makes it all of the extra highly effective to look at the filmmaker in scenes the place he and Rodchenkov are reunited. The sooner movie had clearly bonded these two males for all times. Coming clear in “Icarus” could have been an ethical victory for Rodchenkov, however in some ways, this friendship is all he has to indicate for it.