Human Nature

Director: Adam Bolt
Year Released: 2019
Rating: 2.0

Information-heavy documentary about the discovery and development of a 'tool' called CRISPR, which can be used to "edit" genes to remove "bad code" - making us all faulty computers - and discusses some of the ways in which it can be used for good (like keeping yogurt fresh) and possibly bad (designer babies).  Since Bolt gathered together many of those who really developed it and spent years researching it - including Emmanuelle Charpentier, Jennifer Doudna and Francisco Mojica - you're getting a Straight From the Source explanation (a lot like a Discovery Channel special), but what Bolt neglects to do is bring in the naysayers who might have a complaint or three about the process.  Don't get me wrong, the possible ways this biotech can be used in the 'wrong way' does get brought up, but all the talking heads smugly blow off those concerns as not likely: why, look at this poor kid who has Sickle Cell Anemia - we could get rid of that!  Great, but did anyone ever hear of the name Josef Mengele?