The documentary traces the progression of atomic technology starting with the (the first atomic detonation in July 1945) and concluding with China's first nuclear test in 1964. Key segments and footage include:
: The film is generally seen as staying "devoid of ideology" or political embellishment, presenting the facts of the tests as a "sobering document" of the atomic age. Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
: The film features a "haunting" original symphonic score performed by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra , which many critics cite as essential to its terrifying atmosphere. The documentary traces the progression of atomic technology