MK Ultra was a top secret government program to test mind control techniques on people.

The words secret and test are the key there.

Lots of the MK Ultra program was voluntary, but this film focuses on something that always happens when you make things secret and throw money at it. You get abuses by those attracted to the idea of acting out their worst fantasies and doing so under the guise of fighting the enemy.

Without giving away spoilers, the Dr Strauss (Anson Mount) is genuine in his desire to research whether LSD can help those with mental illness, addictions etc. He struggles to get funding. A benefactor shows up and Strauss slowly begins to realise his mistake.

Thankfully the film relies on showing not telling. It lets you try to work out what's happening. The result an intense, grubby and depressing look at the darker parts of the MK Ultra story.

The criticism is that the beginning has a scene linking the program to race. The rest of the film is obvious that it wasn't about race. No-one was spared - MK Ultra even preyed on their own CIA agents. It's a cheap addition and the film is better than that. Also, the film kind of skips over the role Doctors played in it - the doctor here tries to correct his mistake.

Just like many of the worst excesses in human history, doctors (who should know better) involved themselves in the MK Ultra abuses in full knowledge of what was being done.

Should you watch it? Yes. While you're at it... look up the facts of MK Ultra. It's not a conspiracy theory. When let loose and given secrecy large organisations like the state are extremely dangerous.