A feature-length version of the kind of montage that usually opens a dystopian thriller about a post-apocalyptic society, “Totally Under Control” is a terrifying and infuriating examination of the rise of the COVID-19 virus and of the many ways in which the U.S. government intentionally failed its citizens. As one of the film’s many experts notes, public health didn’t fail the people; the government’s decision to ignore public health warnings and standards made the current crisis happen.
Directors Alex Gibney (“Going Clear”), Ophelia Harutyunyan, and Suzanne Hillinger (“How to Fix an Election”) have made the kind of historical document that future scholars will consult to get an idea of the impact of the pandemic on the United States and on the rest of the world, but watching it right now is akin to viewing a meta-horror film like “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare,” whereby the audience understands that the terror exists beyond what we see on the screen.