Nail Bomber: Manhunt
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Docu on horrific London bombings has violence, language.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Nail Bomber: Manhunt
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
NAIL BOMBER: MANHUNT is a documentary that tells the story of the pursuit and capture of the man responsible for setting off three nail bombs in London in 1999. The first exploded in a Black neighborhood, the second in a Bengali neighborhood, and the third in a gay bar. It shows how these bombings were in the context of growing violence stoked by a right-wing political party, and how one man who is interviewed in the documentary, going only by "Arthur," managed to infiltrate these far-right racist groups, and helped to track down the bomber. Interviews with survivors of the bombings talk about their traumatic experiences, and the aftermath of these attacks. Scotland Yard officers discuss how they finally found the bomber, and the documentary plays interviews with the bomber during police interrogations. During the bomber's trial, the bomber tried to plead innocence due to insanity, and this documentary tells of how a former right-wing extremist turned against the bomber and revealed his sanity by posing as a letter-writing woman who felt affection for the bomber.
Is It Any Good?
This is a disturbingly relevant story of hatred and xenophobia leading to the horrific nail bombing attacks against communities of color and the gay community in 1999 London. Nail Bomber: Manhunt is a documentary that provides the necessary context behind the bombings, breaks down the timeline of the three bombings, and shows how the bomber was arrested, brought to trial, and found guilty, despite attempts on the bomber's part to plead innocence by way of insanity. The documentary doesn't sensationalize the bombings, nor does it glorify the bomber. Instead, it takes a thorough look at how and what happened, and how a society was traumatized by these acts of terrorism, and the aftermath of these bombings, told by the survivors themselves.
It's a story as much about idealism as it is about the kinds of people who are attracted to the hateful rhetoric of extremist politicians. "Arthur," a man who went undercover for decades to infiltrate and expose the nefarious activities of right-wing terrorist groups, put his life on the line, time and time again, and played an integral part in the capture of the nail bomber. Rather than tearing the society apart and causing a race war as the bomber had hoped, people of all backgrounds united against this kind of hatred. Survivors talk of how there are so many more good and kind people than hate-filled, evil people; that's the ultimate takeaway to this documentary, and why it's worth watching.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about true-crime documentaries such as Nail Bomber: Manhunt. How is this similar to and different from other true-crime documentaries you've seen?
Generally speaking, do true-crime documentaries sensationalize serial killing and violence? How is the person responsible for these horrific nail bombings portrayed?
What positive messages does this documentary impart? What character strengths do the participants embody?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: May 26, 2021
- Cast: Bernard O'Mahoney
- Director: Daniel Vernon
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Activism, History
- Character Strengths: Teamwork
- Run time: 72 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate