What Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World is really about
Werner Herzog doesn't make normal documentaries. In Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, his 2016 exploration of the Internet and digital culture, he treats the connected world like a philosopher might treat the cosmos—with wonder, skepticism, and genuine bewilderment. The film isn't a straightforward history of the web or a how-to guide for understanding technology. Instead, it's a 99-minute meditation on what happens when billions of humans plug into a single nervous system. Herzog visits the earliest nodes of the Internet, meets the people who built it, and then ventures into the strange territories it's created: AI labs, gaming addiction clinics, cybersecurity bunkers, and even Mars rovers. What emerges is something like a love letter and a warning wrapped together, asking the question nobody really wants to answer: what have we done?
Behind the making of Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World
Produced by Saville Productions, Lo and Behold arrived in 2016 as Herzog's answer to a world increasingly obsessed with its own digital reflection. The film earned a PG-13 rating, making it accessible to younger audiences even as its themes cut deep into questions of surveillance, addiction, and artificial intelligence. Critically, it performed exceptionally well—Rotten Tomatoes gave it a fresh 92%, while Metascore rated it 76/100, and IMDb users settled on a solid 7/10 across more than 13,000 votes. The film didn't set the box office on fire (it earned just under $595,000), but that's never been Herzog's game. What matters is that Lo and Behold won two awards and earned a nomination, recognition that came from critics and festivals who understood what Herzog was attempting: not entertainment in the traditional sense, but something closer to truth-telling. The documentary's power lies in Herzog's ability to find the human element buried inside machines, code, and networks—to make the invisible visible through conversation and careful observation.
Why Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World stands apart from other tech docs
There's something almost mischievous about how Herzog approaches his subject. He'll interview a brilliant computer scientist about artificial intelligence one moment, then cut to a woman describing her gaming addiction with heartbreaking honesty the next. The film touches on hacker culture, solar flares that could wipe out the entire Internet, robotics, cyber warfare, and the possibility of sending our digital consciousness to Mars—but it never feels scattered. That's because Herzog isn't really interested in technology itself. He's interested in us. What's striking is how he finds the absurd and the profound in the same breath. A scene where he visits a robotics lab becomes less about the robots and more about what we're really searching for when we build things in our image. The film doesn't lecture; it observes. It doesn't predict the future; it asks whether we're ready for it. What makes this documentary work is Herzog's refusal to be either a cheerleader or a doom-sayer. He's genuinely curious, genuinely troubled, and he lets that tension sit on the screen without resolving it. Movie OTT tracks where you can find documentaries like this one across multiple platforms, but Lo and Behold remains distinctive because it trusts the audience to think alongside it rather than for it.
Where to stream Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World online
You'll find Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World available on major OTT services—check the Where to Watch widget at the top of this page to see exactly which platforms currently have it in your region. Streaming availability shifts, so what's available today might not be tomorrow, but Movie OTT keeps that information current so you don't have to hunt. Since the film is just under two hours, it's perfect for a single sitting, though you might want to carve out time afterward to sit with what you've watched. Don't expect background noise—Herzog demands your attention, and he rewards it.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World?
Werner Herzog directed this documentary. He's known for bringing a philosophical and often eccentric perspective to his subjects, whether they're about nature, crime, or technology. His voice—both literally and creatively—is present throughout the film.
Q: Is Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World based on a true story?
It's a documentary, so yes—it's rooted entirely in reality. Herzog interviews real technologists, visits actual Internet infrastructure sites, and explores genuine phenomena like gaming addiction and cyber threats. The "story" is the real history and present state of the connected world.
Q: What is the runtime of Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World?
The film runs 99 minutes, making it a brisk but densely packed exploration. You won't feel rushed, but you also won't be sitting through unnecessary padding.
Q: Is Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World appropriate for kids?
It's rated PG-13, so it's technically accessible to younger viewers. That said, some of the themes—addiction, existential uncertainty, the power of AI—might go over the heads of very young children. It's better suited to teens and adults who can engage with its philosophical questions.
Q: Does Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World predict what happened with the Internet since 2016?
Herzog doesn't make predictions in the traditional sense. Instead, he identifies currents and tensions that were already present in 2016 and asks what they might mean. Some of what he explores—AI's role in society, surveillance concerns, digital addiction—has only become more relevant since the film's release.
Final thoughts on Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World
This is a film for anyone who's ever felt both amazed and unsettled by the Internet. It won't give you answers—Herzog isn't interested in easy conclusions. What it will do is make you think differently about the device you're reading this on, about the networks that connect us, and about what we've gained and lost in the process. It's rare to find a documentary this thoughtful, this humane, and this willing to sit with uncertainty. Watch it. Then put your phone down for a while.
