Live from Baghdad
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Movie Reviews of Live from Baghdad
Movie Review: Reaffirms my opinion
Summary: 3 Stars
While this movie was well written and acted, it did strengthen my opinion about those in the media. I know alot of people may disagree with me on this, but in this film I saw nothing more than sick, egotistical vultures scrambling around trying to find "the next big story" with little regard to the people they hurt. For those of you who view the media of being comprised of elitist know-it-alls, watching this movie will assure you that your assessment is correct.
There are many examples throughout the course of the movie. The obvious fear of the British child being held hostage by Saddam being reduced to merely being a great story. The members of the other networks basically saying that it is their job to tell viewers what is important and why. The CNN crew agreeing to keep quiet about atrocities they saw in Iraq and Kuwait to avoid being thrown out of the country (so much for "we report, you decide"). Weiner sympathizing with the Iraqi propaganda official despite the fact that a hostage he interviewed was kidnapped, most likely under the orders of the same official. And on, and on.
Bottom line, this movie does a splendid job of showing how most of those in the media are legends in their own minds who will stop at nothing to exploit any human tragedy and suffering in the hopes of making it big, although I'm sure that this is not what the makers of the film were going for. There is nothing honorable about them. They were, and are, vultures.
Movie Review: Robert Wiener's tale of his time as CNN producer
Summary: 3 Stars
Reading the credits at the end of the film made sense to me of my vague but persistent feeling of disgust while watching the film. I realized then that this was a labor of love, self-love perhaps, by Robert Wiener, veteran CNN producer, taken from his book which told the tale of his stint in Baghdad at the beginning of the First Gulf War.
I think what was the most off-putting was the idealization of the CNN crew, and especially that of Weiner. The man is certainly a hero in his own eyes, and if you didn't quite understand that, this film will bring the point home to you. Tough, insouciant, rule breaking, daring to go where no one else goes, etc. etc. Haven't we seen this type before? Over and over and over? And then there is the love interest. This is dangled before our eyes with Helena Bonham Carter as the deliciously tempting fellow producer. Wiener wears his wedding ring and tells us several times that he is married with two children. And yet, and yet....this is war...etc. etc.
It's all been done before, elsewhere, and better. This may be a true story but it is terribly, boringly reminiscent of many others.
And the characterization of Wiener is so self-serving that it cancels any admiration you may have felt for him.
Movie Review: Good movie, not quite accurate
Summary: 3 Stars
I know a lot of people get their history lessons from films, but please do not take everything at face value! While "Live From Baghdad" was a wonderfully acted and for the most part well-scripted movie, it had one glaring error. It bills itself as the "exhilarating true story" but includes the bit about Iraqi soldiers taking babies out of incubators in a Kuwait hospital. This story is false, and has been debunked by numerous sources, including Congress and the journalist who first broke the story. So while there are many reasons to vilify the Iraqi Army, murdering hundreds of premature Kuwaiti babies is not one of them. The story amounts to propaganda. Don't believe everything you see in movies.Movie Review: Making Money Will Win Out
Summary: 1 Stars
The movie portrays a group of CNN reporters grappling with journalistic ethics and the hazards of reporting in a modern war-zone. The message the film generally sends to its audience, although a bit corny, is that nations can avoid conflict by discussion and, of course, CNN would like to be the ones to orchestrate and film it. In the film Robert Wiener is a pushy on-location producer who is know for doing anything to get a story. Ingrid Formanek is his assistant producer and she turns the hardened journalist away from pursuing the risky ultimate story by reminding him of his family; really pulls those heart strings huh? As stated above the plot is beyond cheesy; it is simply Hollywood entertaining us with the typical fast love and action story. Although Mick Jackson and HBO might say differently, what happened in Baghdad was probably very different then what happened in the film.
It was said that the art of making movies is the art of the middle. Making a film basic enough so that most people can get the jokes and understand what is happening. Hollywood's objective is, obviously, to make enough money to cover the cost of producing a film and at the same time to turn a profit. So, it is understandable if not enjoyable that Mick Jackson makes the events that transpired in Baghdad into some trite love story; he is trying to appeal to a certain kind of crowd that is drawn to those tired old clichés. It is sad that most directors are concerned with making money first and getting their messages out second.
One thing, however, that Jackson does well is to portray the CNN reporters in his film as people with agendas. He does not try to fool the audience by having his characters spout garbage about "the people's right to know," he cuts straight to the bone with how Weiner is trying to get the ultimate story in order to advance his career. Overall the film works as an entertaining drama, but it provides surprisingly little information of the events surrounding the 1991 Gulf War.