The Polygon (2014) User Reviews

How are these people not angrier ?

[valleyjohn · 8/10 · 25 July 2020]

Back in the 50's the then Soviet Union tested atomic bombs in remote areas of Kazakhstan to keep up with the nuclear arms race with the U.S. They didn't care about the consequence of what it did to the people and the consequences were horrific. The area was named The Polygon.

This documentary follows the local people and tells the story of how they suffered from cancers and horrific birth defects because of the testing. Kimberley Hawryluk tries ti find answers about the future of these people from the Kazakhstan government but it feels like they are just putting on a PR stunt for the world to see.

What you get from this film is that the people are not full of hatred. They forgive what has happened and that's probably because they know nothing will happen to help them.

I have no feelings one way or another about the arms race but when you watch how evil the Soviet Union were and you know how Russia is now , it does make you despair. I'm sure the United Stated were and still are just as bad.

VERY INFORMATIVE AND WELL WORTH WATCHING

[lolly67 · 10/10 · 21 August 2019]

I had never heard of this before, but was not surprised that the former Soviet Union would do this. And as it is now Kazakhstan, I am not surprised nothing is being done to help the people still living in the Polygon. The only compensation they ever received was $250. I though that Kimberley Hawryluk did an excellent job. I was very sad, but had expected it, when she asked her questions of the government about the water and how were these people in the villages to make a living, that no answer was given and then "time was up".

I read another review where someone made derogatory comments about Ms. Hawryluk. I WANT TO THANK YOU MS. HAWRYLUK AND MR. SCHOMER for going there and letting the world know what has happened.