ANDY Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno are “artist-activists”, pranksters with a political point. As the Barbie Liberation Organisation, Bonanno switched the voice boxes of Barbie and GI Joe dolls, before returning them to the shelves; suddenly the Barbies were roaring: “vengeance is mine!”

This documentary – so amiably casual as to feel like a home movie – follows Bichlbaum and Bonanno as they impersonate the World Trade Organisation, first with another bogus website, then on the international conference circuit. Originally the idea is to turn up as WTO reps, say something spoofing the worst aspects of free trade, and be shown the door. But no-one bats an eyelid . Desperate, The Yes Men go ever further – lecturing on the benefits of vote-rigging, slavery and the recycling of excrement into fast food, the “reburger”. And then there’s the Management Leisure Suit, that includes a giant golden phallus.

The team behind American Movie direct with the comic campaigning spirit of Michael Moore and Super Size Me’s Morgan Spurlock – pricking corporate America with a smile.

06 February 2005