Robert Stone and Pandora's Promise

Having demolished the anti nuclear movement, the film goes on to demolish the clean energy movement, though it does allow renewable energy to be "part of the energy mix". Advocates of renewable energy are described as having a "hallucinatory delusion". Nuclear power is safer than solar or wind energy, and, after the initial set up, cost is stated to be much more economical than solar or wind.

The film then goes on to the questions of safety and of nuclear waste. It explains the "generations" of nuclear reactors. Generation 111 (current reactors) are much safer, and Generation 1V , 'recycling' reactors , safer still. The Integral Fast Rector (IFR) uses nuclear waste as fuel, and leaves a smaller volume of nuclear waste. However, it's still radioactive waste, so the IFRs still have that eventual problem.

But anyway, the glory of Generation 1V nuclear reactors (none actually built and operating yet) is that with them, the world's existing nuclear waste becomes a valuable resource, as fuel.

The film concludes on an optimistic note, enthusing about the "renaissance in reactor design". Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), thorium reactors, Bill Gates's Travelling Wave Reactor are especially praised. They would need to be mass produced (and ordered en masse) . Gen 1V reactors might take a while – 25 years to come on line, but in the meantime, Gen 111 can go ahead, as their nuclear waste can be safely stored in above ground cylinders, awaiting their new role as fuel.

This film was well received by the premiere audience. It is clear and understandable. It is quite amusing, (often at the expense of nuclear opponents, such as Amory Lovins, Ralph Nader, Jane Fonda, and of course, Australia's own Dr Helen Caldicott.) The banana story got a good laugh.

The music is good – dramatic where needed, rather sweet and sentimental, where showing healthy people who still live near Chernobyl.

The sins of omission? No mention was made of the terrorism risk, of nuclear reactors, nuclear waste, nuclear transport as terrorist targets. The risk of nuclear weapons proliferation was glossed over. Discussion of renewable energy ignored recent developments in wind and solar technology, their increasing use globally, and falling costs. There was no mention of the high water requirements of the uranium and nuclear industries. Nor was mentioned the vulnerability of nuclear reactors to climate extremes.

The most glaring omission was in not discussing the economics of nuclear energy, which is currently the industry's biggest stumbling block.

Still, for Australia, the film does carry an important message about the seriousness of climate change. One questioner did wonder whether all the nuclear reactors would be up and running in time to have any effect. Robert Stone thinks that they will.