|
| Movie Review: The Oath Alternate Title: The Caged Bird Sings
Story: Political junkies like
me will find this latest documentary film directed by Laura
Poitras delivering more questions than answers. Poitras started
out making a film about the homecoming of Guantanamo detainee Salim
Hamdan (see trivia category below) but ended up primarily filming
his brother-in-law, the charismatic Abu Jandal. So
what happened to the original story? Jandal's story fell under the Kleig
lights because he was a former bodyguard to Osama bin Laden,
admitted to his involvement in jihad activities, knew all of
the 9/11 hijackers, spent time in a Yemeni prison and is now a taxi
driver in Yemen. Who could resist his story? Add to his resume the fact
that he is camera friendly and Poitras' film takes a turn. We never get to actually see Salim Hamdan but have to be satisfied
with an over voice reading some of his letters from Guantanamo. This
story is both complex and incomplete. The many questions that are raised
necessitates that we, the audience, do some heavy thinking about our
Government's action, detention, terrorists and the direction all of
our lives are headed towards. It almost makes my head hurt. That said,
if you are not afraid to think in a movie - you can handle the truth,
can't you? Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGHgn2-I3YU Acting: This is a documentary so the acting category
does not apply. However, Abu Jandal's story has many question marks
and I have decided that he might have been acting.
Trivia: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, (2006), was a case in
which the Supreme Court of the United States held that military commissions
set up by the Bush & Co. to try detainees at Guantanamo Bay lack
the power to proceed because its structures and procedures violate both
the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the four Geneva Conventions
signed in 1949. Specifically, the ruling says that Common Article 3
of the Geneva Conventions was violated. Director Laura Poitras
won an Oscar for Best Documentary, Features
in 2006 for: "P.O.V.: My Country, My Country".
She also shared the award with Kirsten Johnson for Best Cinematography
at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival for The Oath.
Predilection: I like documentary films.
Critters: 0
Food: 0
Sex Spectrum: 0
Soundtrack: A surprisingly fine soundtrack with music
by Osvaldo Golijov, sung by Dawn Upshaw.
Opening Titles: All credits at the end.
Visual Art: I was fascinated by the streets of Yemen
- the colors, the sounds, the sights.
Theater Audience: One other guy and me.
Weather: Hot and sunny.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: Words of torture make me squirm.
Drift Factor: I did not drift at all.
Predictability Level: If you know the story of Hamdan
you will not be in for many surprises however the story of Abu Jandal
is another story.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: Rental would be fine.
Length: 90 minutes
LOBO HOWLS: 7
|