Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 Documentary Sparks Mixed Reactions From Viewers Worldwide

Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 Documentary Sparks Mixed Reactions From Viewers Worldwide

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Netflix’s Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 has become a hot topic among viewers since its release on July 29, 2025. The documentary explores the bizarre 2019 viral event where millions of people online promised to raid the secretive Area 51 military base in Nevada. While some praise its mix of humor and social commentary, others criticize its length and focus.

The Meme That Became A Global Phenomenon

The documentary revisits how Matty Roberts, a 20-year-old from California, created a joke Facebook event titled “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” in 2019. The post suggested that people could outrun military guards by using the “Naruto run”—a sprinting style from the anime Naruto. What started as an internet joke quickly went viral, with over 3.5 million people responding as “going” or “interested.”

“It just seemed like a hilarious idea to me. I didn’t think it’d go anywhere,” Roberts says in the documentary.

The U.S. military took the threat seriously, spending $11 million on security. However, only about 150 people actually showed up at the gates of Area 51, while 1,500 attended music festivals in nearby towns.

Viewers Divided Over Matty Roberts’ Role

Many viewers had strong opinions about Roberts, the event’s creator. Some felt he was irresponsible, while others pitied him for being overwhelmed by the situation.

“Matty is a fking idiot omg. I feel so bad for that woman in Rachel,”** one viewer commented.
“My biggest takeaway was feeling sorry for that Matty kid… just an immature Reddit keyboard warrior with no friends or social skills,” another said.

Roberts initially planned a festival called Alienstock but backed out days before, leaving local business owners to handle the event. He instead hosted an alien-themed party in Las Vegas, which angered some attendees.

Mixed Reviews On The Documentary’s Execution

While some viewers enjoyed the documentary’s nostalgic look at internet culture, others felt it was too long and unfocused.

“This could have been a 20-minute YouTube video,” one critic wrote.
“The other Trainwreck series were more of a trainwreck, this ended up being pretty solid,” another viewer noted.

The documentary uses animations and interviews with influencers, military officials, and locals to tell the story. However, some felt it spent too much time on unnecessary details.

The Legacy Of The Area 51 Meme

The Storm Area 51 event remains one of the internet’s strangest viral moments. It showed how a joke could escalate into a real-world situation with military and media involvement. The documentary highlights how social media can blur the line between humor and reality.

Also read: Netflix’s New documentary Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem; Watch the Shocking Story of Toronto’s Controversial Mayor Rob Ford

Credits: Research compiled from Time, IMDb, Forbes, The Daily Beast, and other sources.