User reviews

It seems like an unintentional documentary on how the kid could have been rescued or helped with many chances to do so but all the people he kept crossing paths with only saw how they could benefit from him or cast him aside when they were done with their intents for him. Fairly crazy to look at these many people just act as if they don't know what they are doing, fairly mesmerizing, really. The pattern just keeps repeating from different people and even from the same people he crosses more than once, noone wants to see past themselves and face the reality that is in front of them basically screaming for help. What a sad society.

On the surface, this doc charts the viral popularity of Kai, but really it's about the insidious, predatory nature of parasites who deliberately ignored his VERY obvious mental illness to exploit him for their own gain. The warning signs were there from the minute the cameras started rolling - this is a deeply unwell young man who seems unable to parse reality from delusion, and his story inevitably ends in violence. But hey, he gets clicks so the Kardashian producers want to give him a reality TV show. He looks uncomfortable, like a caged animal in a zoo, but I want a selfie to show my friends. Most of the interviews are industry people detailing the various ways they tried to profit off of him while ignoring glaringly obvious red flags, with few if any showing remorse or even self-awareness. This doc also borders on exploitative, but it has value as a satire of our celebrity-obsessed culture and flippant attitude towards mental illness. I'm just not sure that was the goal.

Having never heard of Kai before this documentary, I was really interested in hearing his story. Through interviews with news reporters and television producers, we get a picture painted of a young homeless man with a hippie-esque mentality who became a hero through seemingly justified violence. But as Kai's story progresses, we come to see that he is a more unbalanced and unpredictable person than was originally thought. When police and family are interviewed, we truly begin to see behind the veil of Kai's homeless hippie hero persona.

While this documentary starts off well with lengthy, balanced coverage of Kai's rise to fame vis social media, it falls flat when addressing the crime he is currently imprisoned for. The murder of Joseph Galfy almost seems like an afterthought compared to the build up of Kai's meteoric rise through the majority of the film. Many documentaries covering crimes and convictions of this nature feature interviews with psychologists and legal specialists to better illustrate the antagonist's clinical mental state and history but little is done to showcase this, save for limited interviews with his mother and cousin.

While the story is interesting, this execution of this documentary fails to give a fully balanced look at the entirety of Kai's rise and fall, leaving you saying "Wait, that's the end?".

This documentary is heartbreaking and deeply disturbing to watch, but certainly not in the ways that it was intended to be. It was clear from the get-go that Kai was delusional and needed psychological help. Instead, the media sharks descended upon him and took advantage of him because they thought they could make money off of him.

What if they had looked at him as a human being with a horrendous childhood who was desperately in need of help, instead of only seeing him as their next cash cow? Would things have ended differently? They had an opportunity to really make a difference in this kid's life and they squandered it.

This isn't an indictment of Kai so much as it is an indictment of the bloodthirsty media who exploited him. And this documentary doesn't even have the self awareness to see that. Shame on every single person who chose to ignore the warning signs because they were so focused on the dollar signs! Disgusting!

As "The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" (2023 release; 85 min) opens, it is "February 1, 2013" and there is a bizarre scene in Fresno when a deranged/racist driver goes after a black woman. The driver's passenger, a young man named Kai, intervenes and saves the woman from a very dangerous situation, while along the way wielding a hatchet against the driver. A subsequent interview with a local TV reporter causes an immediate internet sensation and puts into motion a series of unexpected developments for Kai... At this point we are 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director Colette Camden ("The Rise of the Anti-Vaxx Movement"). Here Camden looks back as the meteoric rise and subsequent equally fast fall of the internet sensation that was Kai Lawrence, a seemingly happy-go-lucky 'cool dude', oozing with charm. Then it turns out that there is much more to this guy... Let me state upfront that I had never heard of this guy before. But as the documentary makes clear, for a while after the infamous TV interview, he was hotter than hot, and pursued by many different people, all eager to cash in on this new internet sensation. All claim to be simply "rooting for this young man" but in reality all have other motives as well. This is not to excuse Kai's behavior of course. It absolutely blows the mind that the events relayed in the documentary played out over a period of not even 4 months. In the end, this human interest story makes for okay viewing but really nothing more than that.

"The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" premiered on Netflix earlier this week, and Netflix recommended it to me based on my viewing habits. I just saw it last night and this makes for quick viewing. If you are interested in a human interest story involving the quick rose and even faster fall of an internet sensation, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

Everyone who came into contact with this vulnerable, profoundly unwell man should be ashamed of themselves. How did any of these blood-suckers think participating in this documentary was a good idea? If I participated in the exploitation of this young man, you better bet I would hide that fact from the world until the day I died. The unbridled glee that all these media figures have when recalling their time with Kai is disgusting. There is no self-reflection. No sense of responsibility. No question of what kind of role they played in Kai's downward spiral. NOTHING. They just cared about how they can monetize his existence and enable his dysfunctional behavior. If all of that doesn't sound stomach-turning enough, there is also an overwhelming amount of stigma and disdain for unhoused people. Half of this documentary is remarkably tone-deaf exploitation and the other half is your standard, unreliable Copaganda garbage. I almost turned it off as soon as the East Cost cops show up. Everyone was so quick to embrace Kai as a Meme Hero and then immediately wash their hands of him. Shame on you, random Fresno Nobody Sports Reporter for riding a mentally ill man's coattails to a career you don't deserve.

This is so disturbing. My focus for this review is on the mother. Yes the "powers" of media, took advantage of this young man and then dropped him at the first sign of trouble. One look at this "mother" tells you the true story. The mere fact that when she was informed of his arrest for murder, she smirked and gave a chuckle , enough said. Abuse. It's very clear all the way through this documentary that Kai was sexually abused at one point is his life. With a detached abusive mother and no support, his mental health is not surprising. Everyone ignored this kid. His suffering is obvious. He's muti-generational Canadian First Nation, already at a disadvantage.

There is mention of how good this lawyer "gentleman" was.... no talk of really how much a predator this lawyer was. The murder of him was not ok for sure but for Kai to rot in prison as the sole perpetrator in this disastrous life is not the answer. The depiction of Kai's life in this film is deeply disturbing. He didn't stand a chance.

The whole movie is told from the perspective of the people that want to exploit this poor guy.

Regardless of whether or not the murder that put him in jail was self-defense, this guy deserved better than the people around him attempting to exploit him for their own gain. I think the only one that truly cares about him is Jessob. Thank you Jessob.

It's actually surprising how many people in this documentary describe wanting to 'make him famous' and in the same breath call him 'mentally unstable' and don't even put two and two together that it's disgusting. They don't even get it... still after almost 10 years!

This movie added details I didn't know I needed to know. I do usually want to know what happens to "viral sensations," but I never considered this guy. Bro, why were these people pressed to make him into "something?" Like, maybe talk to him before pressing forward with your plans. This guy obviously had his own problems and giving him whatever he wants just opened Pandora's Box. He needs help, but he also needed to help himself. Trying to make a reality show around him was not the way. If he liked being "home free," fine. There are plenty that actually want help that don't like being "home free."

Wait Does anyone else think that the cops screwed this guy over and he didn't kill anyone at all?

I honestly don't think he did it If you were raped I'm sure you wouldn't high five the guy, of course your going to lose it and smash the guys face in.

That's common sense!

This case should be opened up with real lawyers for the kid !!!

Yes, he goes back to the old man that abused him, He came from a abusive house hold So he's like a broken puppy!

This is common sense !

Please open this case back up !

No one is saying Joe is strong, that's why he used the drugs !

The neighbors interview is so stupid

This is a set up !

A guy with mental health issues acts on impulse.

Media folk recognise the opportunity to exploit his seeming 'quirkiness', and line their own pockets.

The vacuous and self-serving people around him exploit him to make a quick buck, and as soon as his ACTUAL psych issues show, they back off and instead offer commentary on how they never really believed his schtick.

Caleb was a guy who was living his life in his 'own reality', who was then thrust into the cult of celebrity. This doc is a sad indictment of the mental health system in the States, along with exposing the repulsive heart of media exploitation. Especially that initial reporter who is still trading on the suffering of others.

The whole thing is simply gross.

This was a great documentary and a very sad story. Kai seemed to have that it factor and a knack around the camera but underneath there was so much pain and hurt. It was sad to me how everyone rode his coattails on the way up but were nowhere to be found when he fell down hard. It is a cautionary tale for sure. Today we see so many viral videos that garner a few moments of fame and right there behind them are people trying to capitalize on it. From the corn kid, island boys, bhad babie, and the list goes on and on. It usually doesn't end well. We should be helping these individuals instead of exploiting them.

The film was well put together and storyline is insane. Hoping Kai has a chance to turn things around in the future.

This Netflix documentary has a great hook just from its title. Something with "hatchet," "wielding," and "hitchhiker" is bound to lure viewers in, so it is no surprise that as of today, its third day of release, this is ranked number one on Netflix. For viewers not familiar with Kai, the narrative here successfully weaves the story of how a random person catapults to fame in a matter of days and then spirals downward at the same speed, winding up in what has to be one of life's worst predicaments. The storytelling is delivered through good editing, visuals, stock footage, and candid interviews. One criticism is the somewhat rushed and abrupt ending, as if 57 years in prison is nothing to balk at. That part alone warrants its own chapter and deserves further exploration to complete this whole picture.