Review by Cameron Maitland.

Documentaries that try to dissect concepts of truth in the media face a catch-22 in their production by existing in just the form they are trying to deconstruct and War Made Easy is no exception. Loretta Alper and Jeremy Earp seek through this film to convey the ideas of journalist Norman Solomon regarding the use of propaganda both by the government and media in times of war, especially in Vietnam and in the current war in Iraq, by making a documentary, a piece of biased media in and of itself.

The film starts with interesting and noble intentions in revealing the kind of ideological machinations that surround war through old records and footage, but quickly slides from exposing them to becoming their laughable opposite. So much of the film rests on the credibility of Norman Solomon and his ideas yet the film takes less than a minute to explain who the man is or why we should believe anything he says. Add to that the fact that he speaks in sweeping generalizations regarding the media and government in war but tends to focus on two conflicts and barely gives lip service to any but biggest hot button presidential administrations. Cinematically the film also falters as it stands firm in its assertion of media distortion for ideological purposes but then proceeds to present its facts and records un-cited and in heavily, quickly edited sequences.

I don’t doubt this film is built on strong ideas and much of what it has to say is true but the emotional chomping at the bit to expose the fallacy of the current administration comes across just as pathetic as the indoctrination tactics the film discusses. If the filmmakers wanted War Made Easy’s messages about truth, lack of bias and trust in the general populace to understand and process information to be taken seriously they should have stepped back and allowed the film to follow those same ideals it promotes.

War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death
Loretta Alper/Jeremy Earp | USA | 2007 | 73min

Sat. Sept. 29 | 7:30pm | VanCity Theatre
Wed. Oct. 10 | 10:45am | VanCity Theatre