‘Joshua: Teenager Vs. Superpower’: Netflix’s Latest Documentary Is A Beacon Of Optimism In The Face Of Adversity

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Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower

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The plot to the absorbing new documentary Joshua: Teenager Vs. Superpower sounds as if it originated from the mind of a Hollywood screenwriter. In the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, teenage activist Joshua Wong becomes the face of an unlikely political movement as he inspires thousands of young students to occupy the streets of Hong Kong in a heroic effort to preserve the territory’s history of autonomy from the Chinese Communist Party.

There’s not a hint of hyperbole in the title: The documentary is literally a story about a courageous teenager squaring off against an emerging superpower.

Now streaming on NetflixJoshua: Teenager Vs. Superpower captured the World Cinema Documentary Audience Award at Sundance before the streaming company obtained worldwide viewing rights. The galvanizing doc chronicles Joshua Wong’s improbable journey from a social activist who led a successful protest rallying against the national eduction curriculum in Hong Kong to one of China’s most notorious dissidents.

“The mainstream and the teachers just teach us that if you become an accountant or doctor… you gain a successful life and future,” Wong says in the film. “However, instead of asking society to define what is success, I would just ask why I can’t define what is valuable for myself and what is important for the society?”

What began as a small protest eventually evolved into a powerful social movement when Hong Kong decided to fight for equal suffrage by engaging in the non-violent occupation of its central business district (2014’s highly-publicized Occupy Central movement).

The most captivating part of the film is Wong himself, who despite facing a constant barrage of insurmountable odds perpetually exhibits a blend of earnest innocence and remarkable poise that belie his age. His inspirational journey to inspire change through action has never been more relevant amidst our own state of constant political turmoil.

The word I’d best use to describe Wong, as well as the documentary itself, is optimistic. Wong’s unrelenting energy and indefatigable passion is a testament to the notion that one person truly can make a difference. Some people are born with an innate, undefinable quality that inspires people to follow them. Joshua Wong has this quality as viewers will not only be astonished by the story that’s unfolding, they’ll also come to realize that they’re witnessing the maturation of a burgeoning political game-changer.

Photo: Netflix

Lost in the hostility of the Occupy Central movement, Wong’s five-day hunger strike, and Hong Kong’s battle for democracy is a stealthy coming-of age-story. By every metric, Wong and his cadre of teenage activists were outmatched by the establishment. But their ace in the hole — the attribute that makes them such a formidable adversary — is their unwavering idealism, a vital resource that often seems to corrode with age.

Clay Shirky, a Professor of New Media Studies at NYU, compares Wong’s awe-inspiring tale to that of Joan of Arc.

“It’s the Joan of Arc story, right? The youngster who can see the world clearly and is not as jaded as adults comes into a complicated adult conflict and clarifies things. Wong fits that template. He is taking on literally the largest country in the world.”

It might sound crazy, but my money is on Joshua Wong.

Joshua: Teenager Vs. Superpower is now streaming on Netflix.

Stream Joshua: Teenager Vs. Superpower on Netflix