Predators Trailer Explores the Ethical Dilemmas of Chris Hansen's Popular Series

      Predators Trailer Explores the Ethical Dilemmas of Chris Hansen’s Popular Show

      Not to be confused with Dan Trachtenberg’s upcoming Predator film set for release this fall, David Osit’s follow-up to Mayor, titled Predators, stands out as one of the year's most significant documentaries. It delves into the complex moral issues surrounding To Catch a Predator and Chris Hansen’s journalistic style, as well as the numerous imitators it has inspired. MTV Documentary Films acquired this Sundance selection for release on September 19. In anticipation of the launch, the first trailer and poster have been unveiled.

      The synopsis reads: “Emerging as a cultural phenomenon in the early 2000s, Dateline NBC’s candid-camera investigative series To Catch a Predator captivated audiences by trapping sex offenders and bringing them to a film set, where they would be interrogated and arrested on camera. The series was immensely popular, catapulting its host, Chris Hansen, into the role of a moral enforcer and television celebrity, while also spawning a global wave of imitators and vigilantes. But what drove our eager viewing habits — and why do we still consume its internet-based, clickbait derivatives? Reflecting on the show and its numerous offshoots, filmmaker David Osit examines journalists, actors, law enforcement, scholars, and ultimately himself, to investigate America’s fixation on observing individuals at their most vulnerable. PREDATORS is a gripping film that explores the murky waters of human nature, highlighting the complexities of the hunter, predator, subject, and observer, all trapped in an intricate web of entertainment.”

      In our Sundance review, Dan Mecca remarked, “Filmmaker David Osit presents audiences with challenging themes in Predators, his documentary centered on the reality series To Catch a Predator, which encapsulated the spirit of the early 2000s. In the show, host Chris Hansen confronted adult men who had traveled to a location (as a result of online conversations) with the presumed intent of engaging in sexual acts with a minor. The scenario was actually a sting operation devised by the show’s producers in partnership with local law enforcement. It made for captivating television and was marketed as both such and a public service. Predators confronts the show's legacy, the ethical dilemmas it raised, and the vigilante copycats it inspired. The series was terminated shortly after suspect Bill Conradt, an assistant district attorney from Texas, took his own life as authorities and cameras were arriving at his home. This event triggered a wave of criticism toward the production, calling into question the admissibility of the evidence captured on film in a court setting. After all, Hansen is not part of law enforcement.”

      Watch the trailer below.