Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney, who spent four years researching Elon Musk for his new film "Musk," stated that his perspective on the Tesla and SpaceX CEO shifted from curiosity and admiration to resentment and anger. The film, which opens in theaters on Friday and will stream on HBO in a few months, details Gibney's investigation into how Musk accumulated wealth and power, utilizing legal documents, interviews, and videos. Gibney told NPR that he initially owned a Tesla Powerwall and solar panels and was "sort of interested" in Musk's work, but specific policy developments and corporate practices altered his view.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics and the filmmaker himself focus on the potential conflicts of interest arising from Musk's dual role as a private sector innovator and a key figure in the Trump administration's technology policy. Gibney cited a specific incident as a turning point: when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that xAI, Musk's artificial intelligence company, would be "fully integrated" into the Department of War. Gibney described this announcement as an "out-of-body experience" that fueled his criticism. The film also examines the relationship between Musk's political influence and his business ventures, suggesting a blending of state power and private enterprise that warrants scrutiny.
What the Right Is Saying
Supporters of Elon Musk and his legal team argue that Gibney's film relies on misleading insinuations rather than factual accuracy. Musk attorney Alex Spiro sent a letter to Gibney's production company, Jigsaw Productions, in September, warning of a potential defamation lawsuit. The legal challenge centers on a scene involving Ashley St. Clair, a former MAGA influencer who had a child with Musk. In the film, Gibney asks St. Clair about text messages from October 2024 in which Musk mentioned unleashing "the anomaly in the matrix" and having "over 10 thousand lasers in space." While Gibney asks if this refers to SpaceX satellites, Spiro argues that Gibney made a "false" insinuation that Starlink satellites uploaded votes for Donald Trump, a theory that has been debunked. Musk has publicly described Gibney as "an idiot" in response to the film's release.
What the Numbers Show
The film runs nearly four hours and is the result of four years of research. According to Gibney, the documentary posits that while SpaceX and Tesla have achieved significant technological milestones—such as reusable rockets and popular electric vehicles—their stock prices are "way out of proportion" to their actual economic value. Gibney argues that Musk achieved this valuation by "overselling" products. Specifically, the film claims Tesla cars were marketed as self-driving but lacked sufficient sensors for full autonomy, leading to crashes. Gibney characterized this discrepancy as a "level of overpromising that leans into fraud." The texts between Musk and St. Clair, authenticated by NPR, were sent on Oct. 6, 2024. Gibney noted that he hired an independent fact-checker to review the internal fact-checking process, stating that "against the richest man, the truth is not always a defense," though he expressed confidence in Musk's stated commitment to free speech principles.
The Bottom Line
The release of "Musk" coincides with ongoing legal tensions between the filmmaker and the billionaire, as well as Musk's prominent role in the current administration's tech and defense policies. The controversy highlights the friction between documentary journalism and the legal resources of high-profile political and business figures. With the film now in theaters and a potential lawsuit looming over the interpretation of Musk's private text messages, the public reception will likely depend on whether viewers interpret Gibney's questions as legitimate journalistic inquiry or as the false insinuations described by Musk's legal team. NPR reported that it reached out to attorney Alex Spiro for comment on the specific claims but had not received a response.