FOOD, INC. 2 -- Sequel to Oscar-Nominated Documentary Feels Neutered

Review by Sean Boelman

A scene from FOOD, INC 2, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of River Road, Participant and Magnolia Pictures.

Robert Kenner’s Food, Inc. is one of the most influential documentaries of the century, having earned an Oscar nomination and inspired widespread change in the food industry. Unfortunately, its sequel, Food, Inc. 2, is likely to be as revolutionary — as it ends up feeling well-meaning but too tepid for its own good.

In this documentary, the filmmakers join authors Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser in an exploration of the vulnerabilities of the modern food industry, pointing out that we are on a path to destruction if something does not change. It’s clear that this, like its predecessor, is meant to be a call to action, but viewers will be left wondering what action they should take.

While Food, Inc. took an almost gonzo approach to the food industry, throwing the audience headfirst into the horrors of factory farming, this follow-up is much more interested in the man behind the curtain. The movie explores some of the corporate and societal tactics that are used to essentially “addict” Americans to factory-produced processed foods.

To communicate this message, the filmmakers interview a wide variety of experts, from farmers to nutritionists and even politicians like Senator Cory Booker. However, herein lies one of the film’s biggest issues. In painting with such broad strokes, Food, Inc. 2 fails to convey the sense of urgency that its predecessor has.

A scene from FOOD, INC 2, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of River Road, Participant and Magnolia Pictures.

Every time the movie feels like it is about to make an important political statement, it reroutes and detours into something else. The food industry is a very big topic with many issues that must be addressed, but a ninety-odd-minute documentary is simply not enough to explore every topic the filmmakers want to with the depth it demands.

While the first film was, for many, an eye-opening exposé of the dangers, injustices, and disgustingness of factory farming, those who keep up with the news will hardly be surprised by anything this sequel has to say. In many ways, it feels like the movie is lamenting the fact that this is what our world has become, offering little in the way of an actionable solution until the rushed final minutes.

Of course, Kenner and his co-director Melissa Robledo (who steps up from producing duties on the first film) deliver their message with just as much gripping sensationalism as before. The fast-paced editing and abundance of infographics would make you think that the message being shared is some sort of groundbreaking research when it’s something we’ve known in the decade and a half since the first movie’s release.

That’s not to say that Food, Inc. 2 doesn’t have merit — its message means well, and for those who are out of the loop, it might be effective as a call to action. However, Kenner and Robledo would have been much better off structuring this as a reminder of this pervasive issue instead of attempting to claim that they were pulling back the curtain on it.

Food, Inc. 2 screens in theaters for one night only on April 9 prior to its VOD release on April 12.

​Rating: 3/5