February 27, 2008...1:56 pm
Taxi to the Darkside
This docmentary provides ”An in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, focusing on an innocent taxi driver in Afghanistan who was tortured and killed in 2002″ (http://imdb.com/title/tt0854678/).
In a world post 9/11, anti-Bush films are all the rage. Three of the four Academy Aware Nominees were anti-war films. The four film in the list was wacko Michael Moore’s lastest manipulation of the facts in “Sicko”.
This particular film, which one the Academy Aware this year, depicts America as the a “root of all evil” when it comes to warfare and the boundaries one will go to secure their freedom. Granted, people died. That in itself is a shame. But the means of the many outweigh the means of the few…, or the one. I know that sounds heartless. I’m not intending to belittle the loss of human life here, but the safety of our great nation, and in turn, the world hangs in the balance. If we need to do some questionable things in the name of freedom (history shows the world has done it many times before), then so be it.
Though, the death of the taxi drive in the film is very regretable. The value on human life in the Middle East is drastically different then in the United States. The terrorist occupied areas make life very, if not impossible, for the indigenious people. This film shows America as the reason for this taxi drives death. I wasn’t there. I can’t say we were or weren’t the cause or that we did or didn’t try to help this man. That’s not the point. The point is this film, like many others, is Anti-American.
But isn’t that point of a documentary to tell stories from different points of view, be it subjective or objective? Yes! That is correct. And I would easily classify this film as SUBJECTIVE rather then OBJECTIVE. However, as a young documentary filmmaker, I feel I have a responsibility to tell the TRUTH in film, and therefore won’t skew facts or footage to apply to a “theme” that someone might want to use. I prefer to remain objective and this film, clearly takes a subjective pov (point of view).
I would only rent this film again to look at its technical qualities. And by that I mean: shot composition, b-roll footage, editing choices, music, transistions, interview locations, field production, graphics, re-enactments, etc…, then its definitely worth the netflix queue addition, at least to me.
However, I don’t agree with the filmmakers. I do respect their freedom and their right to create it. But that’s where it stops for me, at their legal right for creation. I think morally and ethically, its loose, and therefore questionable in my eyes.
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