Alex Gibney’s documentary “Musk” presents a connected account of Elon Musk’s rise across successive phases of his life and ambitions, linking major developments and attitudes over time. The outlets describe the film as a comprehensive, large-scale portrait that emphasizes how Musk’s approach to power, technology and influence evolves from one chapter to the next.
Both reviews note that Gibney encounters a major access challenge: Musk does not participate in the interviews. The Hollywood Reporter says the film addresses this by using a CG avatar to represent Musk, rather than relying on direct statements. The Variety review focuses less on the production method and more on the documentary’s overall synthesis, describing it as grounded and “definitive” in how it assembles the available material to help audiences make sense of Musk as a public figure.
While the two sources share core descriptions of the film’s scope and approach, they differ in tone and emphasis. Variety characterizes the result as incisive and important, drawing attention to contradictions and the full arc of Musk’s ambitions. The Hollywood Reporter frames the portrait more pointedly as one centered on the risks of concentrating too much unchecked power.
