I’m of two minds when I see this trailer for the upcoming Batkid Begins documentary, exploring the story from back in late 2013 when the wish of 5-year-old Miles Scott, recovering from Leukemia, to be Batman for a day was fulfilled in the streets of San Francisco. First, it’s impossible not to be moved by the generosity and outpour of caring on display. Second, why aren’t people like this all the time? Why isn’t there a movement to help people all the time? I know it says a lot about me and my view of the world and humanity when I see something so touching and yet find a way to look at it with cynicism, but I can’t help it.
The documentary, directed by Dana Nachman, seeks to answer at least one “why”, that being “Why did this happen?” The synopsis says the film “reveals surprising truths about what happens when a nerve is touched in our digital society” and the “why” of this phenomenon. “Why did the intense outpouring of spontaneous support for a five-year-old reverberate around the world?” I’m interested to hear the answer and what it says about society as a whole.
It’s interesting to look at the “Batkid” phenomenon and think about how great it was when so many came together for one cause — nearly two years ago — and then try and think of something that has mimicked the same amount of attention and support since then that wasn’t largely driven by anger.
Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World hits limited theaters on June 26, check out the trailer below. Maybe this one will teach us something.
