The most immediate feeling I noticed when watching The Above was a sense of anxiety. In almost every shot, the blimp exists silently and simply looming. The people below, under constant surveillance. The blimb is practically a staple in the sky, like sun or moon. Upon watching the documentary again, once the ending credits pointed out that the blimp would cause others to act differently, I was not anxious as I was the first time but uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with what the United States was doing to these people, almost in a way forcing them to behave with the simple allocation of a beacon in the sky.
I’m still trying to figure out the message, if anyone can point it out I would appreciate it, but the message I see is one of a kind of “big brother”-esque world where the United States has a hold on country half way around the world. I notice KJ’s choices to almost always have the blimp in view whether its far in the distance and hard to see, or clearly focused on. I could also sense the movement of the story. How at first, the blimp began in Kabul and it was constantly notice by the people. But as time went on, it became a staple in these people’s lives and instead of staring, they ignore it as best they can and go on with their lives. I left feeling uncomfortable.