Attempting a somewhat strict dogmatic stance to the state, or lack there of, of nuclear power stations and their rigorous maintenance, Volker Sattel’s second documentary is a serene, sterile and stimulating assessment of such a hotly debated subject in modern society. Taking the word restraint to whole new levels, UNDER CONTROL sees Sattel quietly accessing rarely captured behind the scenes imagery of pre-Fokushima power stations and their numerous workers as they methodically go about their hazardous day-to-day jobs secretly securing the protection of thousands.

Despite its fascinating subject matter, UNDER CONTROL is also quite slow, painstakingly so at times, lacking the narrative and aesthetic drive of most contemporary documentaries, which mix dramatic reconstructions with eloquent talking heads and continuous subjective standpoints. Sattel strips his film of suggestive interviews, although a number of workers do pitch in from time to time, and a non-diegetic soundtrack, which makes the film both cold and tranquil, but by no means dull. Each shot is carefully framed and thoughtfully composed, observing but never intruding on the methods being portrayed. For example, the handling of fuel rods in an enclosed space is made to look mundane yet cinematic, for them at least.

Although the film takes a turn in the second half as it eerily depicts the desecration of a number of German plants, which have either been reduced to rubble or, peculiarly, turned into a jolly amusement park, the audience’s patience is rewarded throughout UNDER CONTROL; a documentary about the utopia of nuclear energy that slowly builds to a chilling climax that negates its ironic title.