DMT: The Spirit Molecule (2010)

Horrible Documentary - It is starts out with interesting information about the usage, history and some neurology of this hallucinogenic compound. Then half way through the lead researches of the studied inexplicably, fully endorses the idea that these people are literally traveling out into outer space and meeting with some kind of space aliens that live in the furthest extents of our universe and reality.Based on no other reasoning then these people who are tripping their face off on this crazy drug say they saw some crazy stuff while they where dripping balls.It is confounding that these ostensibly intelligent researchers would go on to advocate this pseudo-science meta-physical nonsense with absolutely no evidence or proof or valid reasoning to substantiate their claims. Except the fact that these people are seeing some crazy stuff while they are using a very powerful hallucinogenic compound.Anybody that remotely believes that scientific methods such as using evidence and logic to come to an assertion will be completely turned off by this film. And see that the researches are only posing as legitimate scientist but are more interested in spewing out nonsensical, superstitious spiritual believes. If you believe in spiritual stuff that is fine, believe whatever you want. But don't try to trick me into believing that there is some type of legitimate scientific process that provides evidence for your assumptions.

This documentary is yet again another example why one of the biggest obstacles to dispelling societal ignorance around psychotropics is often the users themselves. If you're looking for scientific explanations around the properties, effects, and potential side-effects around DMT, look no further. Instead you'll discover the film begins to devolve into various sweeping statements ranging from the pseudo-scientific to the completely unscientific ramblings of mystics.The film begins to explore the idea that we can use psychotropics --DMT in particular-- for the sake of exploring and discovering aspects of reality that might not be available to us in ordinary perception. Fair enough, as long as we keep in mind what we're "discovering" are interesting chemically induced perceptions, and not, as many of the film's most wildly metaphysical poetic-waxing statements claim, real parts of the universe "out there" that are hidden from us with the "ball and chain" of reason and scientific confirmation.The way that it presents these musings is through interviews of various psychologists, "writers", mystics, and "shamans" interspersed between what seems to be winamp animations and art taken from Alex Grey. Sure, okay, it's a film about DMT. But it's hardly inventive compared to the master Gaspar Noe film Enter the Void where the drug is featured heavily.People's perception of psychotropics is an erasing of reason for New Age tarot-card reading "channeling" of other dimensions by hippies. It's an unfortunate misperception, one that this film surely would confirm even to the open minded. In the end it adds to the list of the pseudo-scientific New Age "what the bleep" nonsense that attempts to pass off as credible. Instead of dispelling the ignorance, it reflects this society's scientific illiteracy in an unfortunate postmodern age where drug induced fast food religious experiences pass as empirical research. But you know, as the postmodernists will tell me, "well, that's like...your opinion...man..."

Although this movie covers some scientific research done regarding the use and affects,of Ayahuasca, two plants combined to create a powerful hallucinogenic, containing the main subject DMT or N,N-Dimethyltryptamine. DMT is supposedly a naturally occurring substance in the human body, or brain.The movie misses the mark by not commenting on the dangers of using such a drug . It combines the fantasy that there is some spiritual world, alternate dimension accessible by the use of DMT..where one can interact with other beings . Unfortunately this movie seems to be geared towards the drug culture trying garnish attention and build momentum to achieve more grant money for research. I am all for research but there seems to be a huge disconnect between the science and the fantasy. Therefore the film is no more than a well produced movie making claims it can not support.I would recommend this movie for those who want to see how drug culture makes radical claims.

The ever expanding study of mind and spirit by the fields of medicine and science is cracking open the paradigms of both in ways that are difficult to ignore. DMT seems to be the key that opens the doors of consciousness without physical reality to anchor and manifest it. This documentary does an amazing job explaining both the experiences of the substance and the science of the mind as well as what happens to both when they reach the edge of understanding. Medical doctors, physical scientists, artists, and spiritual seekers work together to explore and quantify the effects of potentially the world's most powerful psychotropic substance. Psychedelic research is finally moving (slowly) forward and DMT: The Spirit Molecule captures the essence of how much we don't yet know.