Netflix series lands 100% Rotten Tomatoes score as fans say it's 'a must watch'
A new Netflix docuseries, that currently holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, has been rocketing up the streaming platform ladder - and fans have two things to say about it.
The binge worthy series American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden has proved to be popular with viewers, especially those who had already watched its sister series American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing.
It delves into the counterterrorism efforts in the US following the 9/11 attacks, including the manhunt and capture of Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the terrorist attack.
The three-part series has been built using real life footage from the archives while talking to government officials who were in charge of decision making at that time.
By using real-life footage, directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy were hoping to create an immersive series, taking viewers on a journey as they witness officials learning an attack on America iss about to happen as they attempt to find the perpetrator.
The way in which intelligence is uncovered throughout the series leads viewers to make up their own minds as to what they would do if they ever faced in the situation.
Speaking to Netflix Tudum, the directors commented: "For us, the best way to understand history is to truly experience it. Being thrown into the driver's seat after the worst attack in American history would rattle anyone, even these brave men and women who had devoted their lives to protecting Americans by assessing geopolitical threats and sounding alarms that were often ignored."
They added: "But the intelligence analysts didn't have time to grieve or reflect. They had a mission at hand: to figure out who did this and stop them before the next attack.
"American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden does not tell the story of the United States and the War on Terror," stated Daniel and Mor. It tells the story of the people tasked to find the world's most wanted terrorist and bring him to justice. It [was] a hunt that changed their lives, America, and the world as we know it."
Most Netflix viewers have been full of praise offering up rave reviews about the miniseries on X while others have raised one important issue.
One online user commented: "American Manhunt Osama Bin Laden was a riveting documentary series. Just 3 episodes, most of which I've seen bits and pieces over several documentaries/movies. But it was put together so well, especially the 3rd episode was nail biting cinema! Hard hitting! Must watch!"
A second fan agreed: "That Osama Bin Laden American Manhunt installment is soooo good. 10s to whoever produced & directed it."
However, some viewers did note that they felt the documentary had felt one-sided, describing it as jingoistic at times. One comment read: "Watching the American manhunt for Osama bin Laden on Netflix rn, and it feels like the main point of the show is to make people sympathise with the CIA and the intelligence officers for their years-long intelligence failure. It's an overkill at this point."
Another shared the same sentiment, commenting: "Netflix has released American Manhunt Osama Bin Laden which seems to feature the "heroic" CIA Officers who worked in Alec Station?
"FBI & Congress blamed those clowns for actively concealing the presence of known Al Qaeda terrorists in USA before the 9/11 attacks. Not heroes. Idiots."
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Premiering Wednesday night in the US, the episode livestream crashed; within 24 hours it had 13m YouTube views, not including other podcast platform stats. The value to advertisers is huge, especially in anticipation of future Swift revelations. And Kelce, a comparatively old player at 35, is rumoured to be retiring after the coming season – his 13th year, Swift's lucky number – so will be power-brokering his post-game career. He admitted to GQ he had literally taken his eye off the ball, with underwhelming stats in his past two seasons, because he was chasing other opportunities. 'It's his Steven Bartlett, Diary of a CEO move,' said the publicist. 'It's future-proofing their lives. He can't be a football player for ever; she can't be a pop star for ever. It makes them a unit – look at how it worked for the Beckhams.' After a backlash around 2015-16 resulting from her beef with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Swift managed to convincingly reboot her brand: a dedicated, literary songwriter who fights for artists' rights. To onlookers outside the NFL, Kelce's is ripe for shaping from two years of dating Swift. The couple are clearly conscious of this: Kelce told GQ he had 'become way more strategic in understanding what I am portraying to people', something you may imagine constitutes pillow talk in a business-minded household. 'No man has ever said those words,' said the publicist. Kelce's image is openhearted romantic. Notably, he is Swift's first significant boyfriend to seem undaunted by her celebrity – her previous six-year relationship with the British actor Joe Alwyn took place almost entirely in private. A sweet aspect of the New Heights episode was two beefy jocks being so excited by and supportive of a girly pop star. Swift joked of his public entreaty to date her that 'this is sort of what I've been writing songs about wanting to happen to me since I was a teenager'. The couple riffed on memes questioning Kelce's intelligence – 'it's so hot when she says big words,' he said when Swift called Folklore 'esoteric' – which is in itself very smart: positioning Kelce as lovable and non-threatening. Swift said she immediately warmed to him for not being 'judgmental', describing him as 'a vibe booster in everyone's life … like a human exclamation point'. The implication is that he could pep up your sentences if you let him into your heart. Kelce's post-football business is being everyone's boyfriend, not just Swift's. His pesky family ties to Maga Trumpists won't hurt him in the US; if Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in the last election, were to be questioned about this, 'her argument can be that she's the leftwing voice in these rooms', the publicist said. Win-win. Although Swift seemed keen to establish some distance from the voluble TTPD era, a song from The Anthology about her and Kelce's relationship seems to outline her present mindset. 'I'm making a comeback to where I belong,' she sings on The Alchemy. 'Ditch the clowns, get the crown / Baby, I'm the one to beat … These blokes warm the benches / We've been on a winning streak.' That streak is assured: next year marks the 20th anniversary of Swift's self-titled debut, and she will inevitably release the re-recording to mark the occasion. Showgirl's successor will be her 13th album, a significant moment in her lore. There are rumours of a behind-the-scenes Eras documentary to complement the record-breaking concert movie, extending the moment's IP. Any new tour will once again recalibrate the live industry. Before Swift drops a note of music, or Kelce touches grass, they're the coming season's reigning champions.
