Boeing's Downward Spiral: 'Freefall' Exposes Corporate Greed and Negligence

Rory Kennedy's documentary series on Boeing continues with 'Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing', following up her 2022 film 'Downfall: The Case Against Boeing'. The new documentary explores the corporate greed and negligence that led to the 346 fatalities in the 2018 Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. The story is told through the lens of whistleblower John Barnett, who dedicated over 30 years of his life working for Boeing as quality control and a manager. Barnett's first-person accounts reveal the harrowing quality issues in numerous Airbus aircraft and his frequent safety concerns.

However, Kennedy's new documentary has been criticized for retreading familiar ground and not providing an actual reckoning. The film does improve on its style, using firsthand footage from live sources instead of visually horrendous CG reenactments. But it fails to address the culpability of quality assurers above factory workers and internal whistleblowers who were silenced by their superiors.

The documentary also explores Boeing's expansion into new bases, including a South Carolina plant that was constructed in 2009 after unionization at the original base in Washington state. The plant has been plagued with issues, including retaliatory actions against employees who raised safety concerns and the outsourcing of parts to different companies around the world.

While 'Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing' is an infuriating deep dive into Boeing's negligence, it ultimately fails to provide a clear path forward for change. Kennedy's focus on accountability is laudable, but her failure to address the systemic issues within Boeing leaves viewers feeling frustrated and unsatisfied.