With the situation in Iraq one of the key problems facing the incoming U.S. President, see the most comprehensive documentary about private military companies. Winner of 4 LEO Film and TV awards, used as research for the movie “Blood Diamond”, screened on Capitol Hill and praised by Amnesty International, this balanced documentary is a must see for anyone who wants to know how the rules of war have changed. Voiced by “300″ star Gerard Butler.
With over $100 Billion in annual revenues and 70000 employees in Iraq alone, the private military industry is booming, yet few civilians know anything about it. Shadow Company, a groundbreaking feature-length documentary, takes you deep inside this secret world that is changing the face of modern warfare. What are we really risking by allowing profit-motivated corporations into the business of war?
Sometimes documentaries are rightly criticized for pushing a particular view. This one goes out of its way to be ambiguous [see: Frances]. So I like it for that. I feel my head has learned stuff, but my heart still questions.
On the other hand, the film making sucks. We have music — with lyrics! — and a narrator’s voice, AND a power-point presentation going on all at the same time. I suppose that’s ok if you watch this online, where you can pause and back up, but I’d be rather cheesed if I had to see this in a theater.
Also, when they try to tug at my emotions, the film makers fail quite badly. The hot “journalist” towards the end, had me disliking her, and hoping her boy-soldier died a violent death, which, frankly, she and I seem pretty ok with. And then they showed a power-point presentation of the killers-for-hire who had died, and went all the way to the D’s before getting bored. Ambiguous and somewhat ugly.
I don’t like the film makers, and hope documentary schools show this as an example of how not to do it….but worth it overall.
99.9 percent of mercenaries have moustaches! Ha ha!!!
I thought this was a very journalistically objective film. Thanks to the makers.
I was very disturbed by this. I couldn’t help but feel that there was some justification for the existence of these paramilitary hired guns……”fishing with the rich people”……last heard by one. Give me a fu##king break. Just because nation states have greed and conquest does not justify these young dumb full of cum shoot em up john wayne weekend warrior douchebags……..go grow your own if you can’t find a job…..and that man-chick journalist crying about her Rambo man who washed windows but needed a job that “was more challenging”……to die for? Crocodile tears.
Too much hypocrisy and irony spoken by all. At least this film was brilliant in showing that. But not sure what side it was taking. Besides that, the music sucked.
Mirror:
Shadow_Company_2006_FESTIVAL_DOC_DVDRip
http://videobb.com/video/jPwDo9W2e9TA
Frances Hélène Jeanne Stonor Saunders – Female
is frances male or female? and what kind of name is that? transsexual?
When I first read your post, I thought you were a jerk and wondered what kind of name is “Alen”. Then I saw the film. My apologies, Alen. I have no answer.