'The Anarchists' charts the predictable implosion around 'Anarchapulco' and its founders
CNN
The docuseries has become a fertile space for strange sects and outlandish personalities, and HBO's "The Anarchists" certainly falls squarely within that zone. Possessing a bit of a Fyre Festival vibe, this six-part project is a mostly fascinating trip down a very particular rabbit hole, assuming that you can stomach the steady diet of took-one-political-science-class psychobabble that goes with it.
Indeed, the great irony of something like "The Anarchists" hinges on its focus on people who smugly believe their way of life is vastly better than that of the rubes who go along with societal norms, only to end up feeding a sense of superiority among those watching in the TV equivalent of craning one's neck to see an accident.
Covering a six-year span, director Todd Schramke provides a window into an event known as Anarchapulco, a gathering of those who advocate anarchy and achieving a "state of self-rulership," one that doesn't recognize governments and questions laws.