Customer Reviews

BattleGround - 21 Days on the Empire's Edge

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The 2003 invasion of Iraq was hailed as the most openly accessible war in history. While embedded journalists traveled with U.S. and British troops on the back of Humvees into battle zones, news audiences received on the ground info in real time. The images and information captured by war journos was remarkable in their proximity to conflict but the context of the information was directly framed by what the Pentagon allowed journalists to cover. You either played by the rules and got access or you were left out in the cold.
Battleground, in contrast, is an exercise in capturing the context of the invasion from a truly independent, sober perspective. Opinions of American soldiers and commanders were presented alongside actual Iraqi voices. Montages of Iraqi street scenes link powerful narratives of homegrown debates on the merits of the invasion, the emotional homecoming of a former anti-Saddam rebel forced into exile, a citizen journalist informing people on the dangers of Depleted Uranium, and the inner-workings of American Military strategies for restructuring Iraqi society. This film captures what really happened on the ground in the aftermath of a massive military campaign- without government influence. The absence of framing and ideology is a breath of fresh air in the documentary genre.
The stories captured in this film are unique and immensely informative- all stemming from the micro level. There are no voice-overs staging the flow of information. The plot is recounted by real people who find themselves in Iraq at the beginning of a new history. "Battleground" never attempts to re-write Iraq's past nor does it predict its future. Instead, the filmmakers offer the audience a lucid depiction of context- a crucial processes that was entirely absent from news coverage of the invasion.
Battleground is a must-see for anyone craving a balanced on-the-ground depiction of what really happened in Iraq in 2003. Rich in visual energy and powerful music, Battleground is not over-stylized. It is however, immensely informative, beautifully spontaneous, and an extraordinary example of bearing witness to world events and placing them in context.

If you're interested in learning more about Iraq but don't know where to turn to (between Fox and CNN) than this is the documentary for you.

This is the type of documentary you'll probably watch two or three times and recommend a hundred times. I look forward to more docs from director Stephen Marshall.

This film gives good insight on the feelings of the Iraqi nationals about the war there and the American soldiers that are there.

Battleground is not only great filmmaking, it gets you closer than anything i've seen yet on that so-called war. If you really what to know what's going on in Iraq from the words of the people, get under the skin of the place and begin to FEEL something about it, this is a must-see doc.

*Battleground* is one of the few documentaries worth watching in regards to the Iraqi war. Not only is it informative but it's emotional as well.

2 filmmakers from the Guerrilla News Network (GNN) spend 3 weeks in Iraq to get a closer look in Iraq as well as its people. Rana al Aiouby is an opinionated woman who feels that Americans are shoving their culture down the throats of Iraqis. The Iraqi man that she is discussing this particular view doesn't necessarily agree with her. In fact, he feels that Iraq will benefit from America just as Germany and Japan did. In addition, al Aiouby interviews young Iraqi men on their perspectives on Americans. Predictably, Americans aren't among their favorites.

Farhan al Bayati is a well known blogger among Iraqis. Not only does he comes to Iraqi to test radiation levels among discarded military weaponry but he comes with an personal agenda. Years ago, he joined the cause to oppose Saddam Hussein. He was eventually caught, shot and nearly left to bled to death by Saddam. He was rescued by Americans. After more than 10 years, al Bayati returns to see if any of his relatives are still living. If they are, he wonders if they would recognize him. All I can say is that there were a couple of emotional scenes.

I urge you to check out this documentary. You will see various perspectives on the war by Iraqis and by American soldiers. It's interesting to see where they stand on the war. Some of them offer such provoking ponderings. But the bottom line is whether or not this war can be resolved. Can this be a reality or are we from the opposite end of the spectrum from the Iraqis to even meet halfway?

If you are new to the 'real' Iraq situation this DVD will be very informative. For those who are 'up to date' on issues like the Bush Administration cutting deals with Iraqi paramilitaries to help stabalise the export of oil - this DVD is old news.