The Road to Guantanamo (2006)
Genre: Drama / Documentary
Duration: 95 minuten
Country:
United Kingdom
Directed by: Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross
Stars: Riz Ahmed, Farhad Harun and Waqar Siddiqui
IMDb score:
7,4 (11.680)
Releasedate: 9 March 2006
The Road to Guantanamo plot
"How far will we go in the name of security?"
Part fiction, part documentary about the 'Tipton Three', three British Muslims who were arrested by Americans in Afghanistan. They were held in Guantanamo Bay for two years before being released without formal charges against them.
Actors and actresses
Shafiq
Ruhel
Monir
Asif Iqbal
Zahid
Sher Khan
Military Interrogator Sheberghan
Reviews & comments
leatherhead
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- 3556 messages
- 1813 votes
Well, as a documentary it succeeded.
The way in which real-life footage and acted drama alternate works, all the more because there is little to fault in the acting. Criticism is not hidden, although a little more nuance might not have been an unnecessary luxury. Nevertheless, it remains fascinating, and certain scenes are somewhat intriguing.
Still, the movie didn't quite get me on the edge of my seat. Perhaps because the subject has lost its topicality, perhaps because the film does not do much more than simply list some facts. There was therefore no immediate question of a real sledgehammer blow in my case.
Also, the first part of the film is anything but flawless. Rather muddled, many situations that escalate headlong or go in a different direction, without real reasons to surface. I also had higher expectations of the soundtrack and cinematography, since many people were quite positive about it.
But all in all a fascinating semi-doc. One that gives a pretty good picture, but especially as a ''film'' expected a bit more. Tight 3.0*.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Onderhond
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- 87623 messages
- 12889 votes
Slightly less revision.
Although the basic quality of this film remains very easy. The almost naive way in which the 3 struggle in their situation did not even bother me, quite the contrary. It's also only because we live in a rather cynical world that naivety is often looked down upon.
The set-up works very well, with short image fragments of the real three, assisted by filmed footage by actors. Camera work was good, although I found it all a bit less strong than before. Very functional because you also feel it, but that messy thing is now a bit more common than it once was.
Progress is also fascinating, especially because nobody is actually spared. The scenes in the American camp remain hallucinatory, the war in Afghanistan just as alienating. So I was fascinated to watch, the film doesn't sink into anything, but I missed what made this so special for me in the past.
Still highly recommended, but I don't see the masterpiece in it anymore. A very interesting and solid film.
3.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Lovelyboy
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- 3953 messages
- 2955 votes
It remains a difficult topic, just like in Unthinkable, how far do you want to go to disable a possible threat or to get important info? The words 'please' and 'sir' won't cut you against radicalized people and that's the truth. As Jackson also says in Uthinkable, they know how far they want to go, we don't. Not that I hereby condone the violation of human rights and torture, absolutely not, far from it.
The film itself seems a bit distant at first. Okay, you live in England and then you go there to get married, you can, things like that are normal in that culture. But then they enter a war zone...? The reason exactly why remains a bit shadowy and why they don't make it like a hare that they get out of there and don't understand that they are handed over as half mercenaries I don't quite understand either.
What then follows is effect upon cause as far as I am concerned. The director clearly chooses the side of the Tipton three, which is not bad, but with the knowledge that has changed about their motives and what exactly they did there, it all gives a very mixed feeling. Feel free to say a bad taste in your mouth. They had been in a talibank camp with weapons training, they admitted, among other things, but because they had no other choice. Well .... with this the image of the innocent and stigmatized Muslim becomes very shaky and a first quite strong message, the stigmatization and hunting of an entire faith group suddenly becomes very double.
It's a pity, but unfortunately, the film looks fine, well edited, acted, otherwise a big pass.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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