Today, nuclear energy is being pushed in the form of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)—touted as the latest technological miracle.
Haaken then draws our attention to the troubled legacy of nuclear power through the resistance to the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant and the ongoing pollution at the Hanford Site.
After the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this initiative sought to rebrand nuclear technology as a “friend” to humanity – presenting nuclear power as a powerful genie that could be safely contained within the walls of a reactor.
This brings Haaken’s sharp yet accessible critique of nuclear energy to its full conclusion, succinctly captured in the film’s title—Atomic Bamboozle.
As political pressure mounts in the US to meet net zero carbon goals, the nuclear power industry makes its case for a nuclear “renaissance.” This documentary by NECESSITY Director Jan Haaken follows activists as they expose the true costs of the new small nuclear reactor designs.

Don’t Be Bamboozled by Nuclear Power