MONEY MACHINE: What Happened In Vegas Is Still Happening In Vegas

Back in 2013, when filmmaker Ramsey Denison was in Las Vegas for a vacation, he witnessed an act of police brutality and sought to report it, only to be accosted, assaulted, and arrested. The event prompted him to pursue a cinematic investigation into the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and the result was the highly commendable, cleverly titled exposé What Happened in Vegas in which he examined the disturbing pattern of police corruption through the case studies of four individuals who died at the hands of the force.

The film’s release shortly followed the deadliest mass shooting in contemporary American history, wherein the shooter Stephen Paddock injured over 800 people –  including 61 deaths – by firing over 1,000 rounds into a large crowd at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip. It was a tragedy that again exhibited the disgusting incompetence of the authorities in Sin City, as explored in Denison’s comprehensive new film Money Machine. Essentially, regarding cop misconduct, what happened in Vegas is still happening in Vegas.

An ugly desire to keep the money machine going

This sequel focuses on the aftermath of the shooting, as Denison looks closer and places a face on the victims, giving the Route 91 survivors the space to discuss what happened that evening, accompanied by horrifying footage of the event as it happened. The gunshots, the people running away, the bodies falling, the sight of the musical artist sprinting offstage: it’s a truly unforgettable sequence that heightens our awareness of the scale of the tragedy, beyond the scope of any pre-existing news segment.

By listening to the survivors, the director builds upon the thesis of What Happened in Vegas by identifying areas in which the LVMPD poorly responded at the time of a crisis, preferring to sweep things under the rug than probe further. One such damning indictment of their competence is heard from Katherine, a survivor who speaks of the possibility of a second shooter in a Hooters restaurant. Her inquiry was dismissed by the force, who says she must have drunk too much and should move away from the possibility.

Denison deduces that the LVMPD’s inadequate response is underpinned by the subsequent cancellations of Vegas holidays and the sight of an empty strip. He convincingly argues the case presented in his film’s title – Vegas is a money machine where the top 20 casinos in the city bring in an average of $630k per night, so their pursuit for a rapid return to normalcy is motivated by a reckless road to economic recovery rather than the people’s safety.

Trying to keep track of it all

Money Machine crosses so much ground and has so many ideas to emit that it can be hard to keep track of all the various strands around the central narrative. As a result, viewers are almost actively required to separate the wheat from the chaff. The director obviously cares a great deal about the bigger picture and has painted it on an epic canvas, but the boatload of information challenges the audience to do their own work and understand what are the most important elements here.

Nevertheless, the enormous insight is a testament to a filmmaker who knows how to build trust with contributors across all areas and tactfully handle the huge amount of access in his grasp. His confidence as a storyteller even grants him an interview with Stephen’s brother Eric Paddock, an eccentric individual who adds a lot of texture to the whole study by detailing his brother’s relationship with the city.

Conclusion: Money Machine

Money Machine is a successful follow-up to What Happened in Vegas that wields its power in the volatile alchemy of Ramsey Denison’s commitment to justice and the authority’s commitment to injustice. It’s very thorough in its examination of the LVMPD’s insufficient response to the US’s deadliest mass shooting in modern history.

We’re left with no hope about state authorities caring about human life when Mayor Goodman makes it clear how she does not care about virus transmission when the pandemic hits. The coronavirus aspect of this documentary is a late addition and, though it could have been an ancillary chapter, it emerges to the forefront as further evidence of corruption. It would be too optimistic to not expect Denison to be working on a third film about the state’s most pressing issues.

Have you seen Money Machine? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Money Machine is now available to rent/buy on all digital platforms and will be streaming on Kanopy later this year.

Watch Money Machine