Let me warn you: if you are someone who loves non-veg, then maybe Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy can make you think about your decision about consuming them. What starts as an entertaining challenge quickly transforms into an unsettling exploration of industrial farming, public health, environmental harms, and the influence friend chicken has. Hosted by comedian Mo Gilligan, we get to witness investigative journalism, humor, and experiments all in Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy. Gilligan, a confessed friend chicken enthusiast, commits to eating nothing but fried chicken for the next 28 days, three times a day. To me, this sounds quite an unhealthy option even as an experiment. The motive behind this experiment is to reveal how heavily processed fast food impacts the human body. As the weeks pass, viewers witness noticeable physical and mental changes. We can see his declining energy, mood swings, and a health that is constantly deteriorating due to deficiency.
Instead of solely relying on this experiment, the makers have broadened its scope considerably. We get to see the massive global poultry industry, which examines how billions of chickens are raised, processed, and marketed every year. Additionally, the makers explore factory farming practices, the pressure under which workers work in processing plants, and the environmental footprints left behind by industrial-scale chicken production.
There are many good things about Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy. The first and foremost is Mo Gilligan. His natural humor helps us understand such a serious topic easily. His tone isn’t the one that lectures us. Rather, it informs us about the harmful impacts all of this can have on planets and humans. There are conversations with experts, workers, and campaigners where he asks the questions that viewers might have asked. That is a good thing, as most of our questions also get answered.
Another good thing about Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy is the fact that it is well researched. The makers don’t show anything and everything under the sun. Instead, it shows us properly what the impact is, firsthand. None of this is made up. Everything that is shown is real. For some, this might be scary, while for many this is a warning sign to wake up and choose better for one’s own health and the planet as well.
The only issue is that Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy feels like an investigative journalism that one might have watched before. The topic chosen: chicken, has been subjected to many documentaries before and for all the wrong reasons. So midway, there are chances that you might feel like dropping it if you are someone who has already watched such food-related plots before.
However, if the above is not the case with you, then yes, Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy is a definite watch that you must watch to make a decision. With brisk pacing and research that mirrors real life, this is exactly what you need to watch.
Final Score - [7/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times