Shock and Awe

Shock and Awe is a pretty good movie. Don't let the partisan sniping dissuade you from taking it in. It's worth it. Recommended.

As you would expect with such a stellar cast, fine performances all round. I think the message of this film is even more pertinent today. It is beholden on us all, to look with a critical eye, at what those in power are saying; is it true, where is the evidence? If each of us can take some measure of skepticism, as shown by the journalists portrayed here, our society will be all the better for it. This film does truly crystalise, the criminal actions of the leaders of the time and the abject failure of the leading media organisations, whose primary function, is to hold those very same, to account.

Despite the A list cast and very worthy subject matter this movie about the WMD deception feels a little amateurish. There are pros and cons of the way the issues are stated clearly in more or less in sequence. The pros are you get it. The points aren't lost or mumbled so as to be missed. And there is not jigsaw puzzle narrative. That is good. Unlike Spotlight which was a bit confusing. The cons are it feels like a lecture / documentary. The best point is it puts together and illuminates the sequence of events and the WMD deception from it's early stages to the invasion and the consequences. The most eye opening thing is that these journalists were on to the deception from such an early stage and the main stream press refused to let the public know.

We had a good turn out at our little community theater in Fairfield, IA. Would screen again.

I heard that this was an excellent movie, but then I read some of the highly critical reviews over on Netflix. So, I watched the movie myself to determine the truth. Let me give you a heads-up. All the negative reviews that appear as "serious" and "sincere" are written by George W. Bush administration apologists attempting to erase his failed, tarnished legacy. This movie is brilliant, not just for its production quality and performances of the highly renowned cast of professional actors, but most of all, for its historical accuracy. The Knight Ridder News Agency should forever be remembered for their heroic efforts to bring the truth to the American people during the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld promotion of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq.