The Last Atomic Bomb

The Last Atomic Bomb takes its title—ironically and hopefully—from a U.S. government film about the bombing of Nagasaki during WWII. Arguing against nuclear weapons, filmmaker Robert Richter's new documentary weaves a pastiche of survivor testimonials, interviews with experts on nuclear proliferation, clips from government films, and striking historical footage of the destruction left in the wake of the bombing of Nagasaki. Among the several hibakusha (those affected by the bomb) who recount their experiences, Sakue Shimohira is a central figure: as a 10-year-old, she witnessed the deaths of family members and friends (some died during the explosion, while others succumbed to radiation illness and depression in the decades that followed); today she educates high school students about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Other interviewees include Dr. Arjun Makhijani, a nuclear engineer, who questions the reasons for dropping atomic bombs on Japan, and Japanese journalist Tadaomi Saito, who describes how the U.S.-imposed press code censored information about the aftereffects of the bomb. The Last Atomic Bomb occasionally strays a little too far afield (such as when Shimohira and two peace activists attempt to deliver letters to the leaders of Britain, France, and the United States), and the hyperactive editing style is sometimes distracting. Overall, however, this is a worthwhile effort to understand an event that should never be repeated. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Wadland)