Illuminated

One must appreciate the art and proficiency in this well done documentary on a subject that most people know little about. The "Illuminati" has either been blamed or credited for most "deep" world government conspiracy theories. The film will educate you on the true life and death of the Illuminati. The visuals are so beautiful they may distract you from the dialogue, forcing you to view the film more than once in order to digest all the information.

At first I was skeptical about what this documentary would dive into. Wondering if it was going to follow the long list of YouTube conspiracies. Boy was I wrong.

Every person interviewed in this documentary is well regarded in their circles. Be they masons, historians, scholars.

I am happy I watched and recommend it to anyone interested in this sort of thing.

Wrong information and silly mistakes makes this product non to be trusted. Mixing up Greek and Roman gods is not acceptable for a documentary

Illuminated: The True Story of the Illuminati is a decent film that I respect and tolerated, but didn't necessarily enjoy. If you are an insane history or freemasonry buff, this may be a film that you enjoy. In that case, I recommend it heavily.

Illuminated: The True Story of the Illuminati is a factual and historical documentary about the origins and history of the Illuminati. The story of the Illuminati has the potential to be engaging and interesting. Unfortunately, I was slightly let down by this film. It isn't poorly made, but at times was very dry and felt as if I was watching one of those uninspiring videos shown in history classes. The narration is dull and uninteresting. I had a hard time paying attention at times, because it is characterless and tiresome at various moments. Among the positive aspects are the reenactments. The film captures the mysterious spirit of the Illuminati as well as the zeitgeist of late eighteenth century Germany. The costumes are on point and the music fits the film well. The actors, although they have no speaking lines, portray their characters in a believable fashion. The production values are pretty high and I was thoroughly impressed with that part. I have no discernable complaints on any of those aspects.

Another part of the film that I appreciate is its ability to capture the irony of Adam Wisehaupt's life. Wisehaupt spent his entire life dedicated to enlightening people and bringing them to their highest place of being. That is the entire point of the Order of the Illuminati. However, Wisehaupt ended up impregnating his late wife's sister, which prompted him to turn to gambling and drinking to drown his sorrows and distract him from the aftermath of the scandal. I find this hilarious, yet sadly ironic. The film highlights this quite well.

I recommend this film for kids ages 9 to 18, because some of the themes are creepy and may intimidate younger children. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed by Ella L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, go to kidsfirst dot org.

The Illuminati, a recurring theme in contemporary conspiracy literature, has rarely been so well studied and presented as an actual historical phenomenon. "Illuminated" does an excellent job exploring the historical roots and philosophy of the actual Illuminati (a real secret society that existed in the 18th century), using credible historical sources and the best recent scholarship. Far from a dry academic presentation, the film presents this information in a compelling, visually engaging way that tells a fascinating story known to few. Highly recommended.