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Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.
All Critics (12) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (4)
As you watch the film, you'll be amazed how the world of the Internet turns the recent into the ancient: In a matter of only a few years, a world-changing digital event like Napster has become so last century.
I found myself asking, "And so why am I being retold this hoary tale?"
As iffy as the coulda-been premise is, "Downloaded" is still a vigorous retelling of Fanning's and Parker's wildfire achievement and its ethical pitfalls ...
Winter can't get his arms around his material. He seems reluctant to pare anything, and his talking techie heads - Napster founders Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker, along with a host of others - often make the same points, one after another.
An independent Napster may be gone, but its impact reverberates, not least in the continuing threat to intellectual property.
Director Alex Winter tracks the evolution of our tunes, and current glimpses of Fanning, especially, show how small revolutions can have larger, often disturbing, soundwaves.
Downloaded provides a robustly engaging overview of Napster's renegade birth and premature death rattle.
Has a sharp pace that burns through the years, but there isn't much here that's new, with revelations minimal at best. Fanning continues to be a question mark.
Downloaded often misses bigger picture viewpoints, and mostly sticks with the standard narrative about Napster we all know (though with a bit more behind-the-scenes detail).
Well-made and provides a largely accurate overview of this crucial chapter in the history of both music and technology.
Compelling, provocative and well-edited.
The doc is only about as revealing as a middling magazine article on the subject. But it will fascinate and frustrate anyone already interested ...
As with Napster itself, the film feels a little dated. Technology has moved on from that time in the late 90s/early 2000s when Napster rocked an industry. It is nonetheless well polished and interesting look at how the industry changed and was forced belatedly to adapt to new customer demands.
Super Reviewer
Mildly interesting. I do remember Napster. I wasn't a user myself, so that's why it's not overly riveting to me. I think it would be very interesting for someone who used it regularly.
*** Here's a documentary by Alex Winter(yeah, Bill from "Bill and Ted) about the rise and fall of Napster. I'll never forget the first time I used Napster, and how it was mind-blowing to have every song you could ever want to listen to a click away. You get a good account from the people that were there, who made it and the battles they fought over it. It's very informative, but it does feel a little rushed at times. I remember seeing all the news footage from when it went on. It covers the whole Metallica thing, and how Napster eventually died off. Very interesting stuff. Also, I had no idea Sean Parker was also involved in Spotify. The guy helped start Napster, Facebook, and Spotify. That's insane. After watching it, it really made me think about how Napster honestly changed the world and the way we consume entertainment. Good movie that everyone who enjoys music on the interest should check out, especially if you don't know anything about Napster or it's impact.
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