Director: Joshua Bailey
Writers: Joshua Bailey, Matthew Serrano
Stars: Matt Sonswa, Patrick Spikes, Dave Ensign
Synopsis: Follow the history of misdeeds and debauchery at Walt Disney World Resort over 30 years, which leads to the theft of almost half a million dollars worth of stolen props.
There are those of us who do have to see how the sausage is made. We deeply care about not only the object as presented to us, but dissecting that object and finding out how it came to be what it is. There are those of us who need to go where the powers that be tell us not to so we can thumb our noses at them and their petty rules. There is freedom in both types of exploration and rebellion. These needs and ideas coalesce in the people interviewed for the documentary Stolen Kingdom.
Disney theme parks have an almost impenetrable sheen to them. The urban explorers featured in Stolen Kingdom show us how easily that sheen wears off. The frankness of their exploits is a bit uncanny. The fact that some of them were able to explore into the bowels of Walt Disney World in the 21st century feels unthinkable with the amount of secrecy and security Disney provides itself with and prides itself on. Especially fascinating is that the later explorers have a significant online presence with so much evidence of their exploits.
That is the most shocking part of the film. The fact that these people not only worked their way past layers of security, but for a significant amount of time were able to explore and discover within these places is astonishing. As is seeing the footage of no longer used attractions or attractions soon to be discontinued. The first group featured in the film who documented their exploits were leaving rides in motion and taking a look at the depth and engineering of the rides. This seems unthinkable that it could happen, but before someone does it, things almost always seem unthinkable. Their exploits mostly came out of boredom.
Many of the featured explorers, as much as they may have loved Walt Disney World at one point in their lives, the magic of the park has vanished for them. Yet, in their adventures they create a new magic for themselves. The excitement at finding something that no one thinks about anymore or a place that has felt inaccessible is a new sort of magic. Even if they feel that their original love is gone, their new interest is an attraction that can’t be denied. It’s exciting to see the excitement of people finding magic in the mundane even if that magic potentially comes at the cost of their future freedom to do so.
Director Joshua Bailey does a great job of leading us through the ins and outs of this culture of urban exploration. We get to see these explorers as a new kind of pioneer. Pioneers who are as reckless about their own safety as the original pioneers. Of course, as the story progresses and the novelty becomes something more people seek, they also begin to question if there is something else to be gained from these journeys into secret spaces.
This is where the crux of Stolen Kingdom is fleshed out. The documentary is not trying to solve the mystery of who could have stolen a large animatronic from a discontinued attraction, but to show us how greed will always take something special and warp it. Even a legitimate collector featured in the film notes that he will always struggle to identify where the items he accumulates come from. The black market is always big business and the need for some to boast that they have something authentic and unique is more precious than a few thousand dollars.
Stolen Kingdom has what all documentaries want; an undeniably engrossing hook. The film takes us on a journey through a subculture with the background of a central event to try and keep us attuned to an unsolved mystery. The talking heads are informative and opinionated about one another, which creates a unique perspective within the film. It’s less about solving the mystery than about doing as the subjects have done and uncovering the story and the motivation behind the scenes. It’s a fascinating film that won’t inspire copycats as it is very clear that crime will catch up to you, but may make us think twice about the boarded up warehouse down the street.
