Why Punishment Park Works

When you first start watching Punishment Park, you may get drawn into it's world, thinking it is real. Of course there are little clues along the way that help you realize that the movie is not real, but the actors in the film do a great job portraying the characters they are representing. It's not the events that make the movie feel real, it's the attitudes. The very outspoken revolutionary types in the group remind us of people we've come in contact with like that. The more passive characters who still found themselves at the park helped balance out the crowd. The panel members with their staunch, convoluted, conservative views could be any government panel or committee. Their readiness to gag and drag each interviewee out of the room reminds us of not only our own government's unwillingness to listen, but also the tendency of human nature to silence anyone we view as a threat to our viewpoint.
Even though I knew I was watching fiction, Punishment Park gave me the impression that something like this could actually happen. It is in that effect that the film had the most impact on me. Although the material in the film is somewhat time sensitive, the film has a timeless quality in reminding us to keep the powers that be in check.