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Movies / On DVD / The Fog of War
The Fog of War

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The Fog of War (2003)

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Reviews Counted:133

Fresh:130

Rotten:3

Average Rating:8.4/10

Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins

Genre: Education/General Interest

Synopsis: Documentarian Errol Morris directs THE FOG OF WAR, a captivating look at Robert S. McNamara, who served as the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The movie... Documentarian Errol Morris directs THE FOG OF WAR, a captivating look at Robert S. McNamara, who served as the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The movie does not exclusively focus on this part of McNamara's career, however, and instead gives a broad overview of the man he was, his multitude of roles--a Harvard Business School graduate, a Colonel in the Air Force during WWII, president of Ford Motor Company--and his opinions on a variety of historical topics. Inspired by two books written by McNamara--IN RETROSPECT (1995) and WILSON'S GHOST (2001)--Morris gives McNamara a forum to talk about the decisions he made and the influence he had during his career. At the age of 85, McNamara has gained necessary perspective to do just that. Sharp as a tack, loaded with charisma, and generally fascinating, McNamara easily carries the film with his revealing interviews. Meanwhile, Morris's use of archival footage--along with maps and other effective visual aids--add context to McNamara's commentary, and Philip Glass's ominous, pulsing score gives the film's important subject matter the gravity it deserves. [More]

Starring: Robert S. McNamara

Starring: Robert S. McNamara

Director: Errol Morris

Director: Errol Morris
Producer: Michael Williams, Julie Ahlberg
Composer: Philip Glass
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

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Reviews for The Fog of War

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
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This is a beautifully produced film, expertly edited with a haunting Philip Glass score and statistics that are meaningful and extremely disturbing.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
11/02/03
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

An engrossing and illuminating documentary.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/06/04
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce
BBC
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
05/13/05
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
06/11/03
Channel 4 Film
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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A superb survey of the last half-century of American politics and one that has much to say about the current administration's attitudes.

Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment Comment
10/07/03
Jason Anderson
Jason Anderson
eye WEEKLY

Morris fills [his film with] skewed and crooked angles on McNamara himself -- as if even the camera couldn't get a grasp on the elusive nature of this topic.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
01/23/04
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
San Francisco Examiner

a deeply felt testament of a man struggling to wring meaning and redemption out of history’s hard, unyielding surfaces

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Alternative | comment Comment
09/30/04
Jay Antani
Jay Antani
Los Angeles Alternative

One of the most important films I've seen in the last year or so. A matter of life and death, required viewing for those sincerely interested in a better understanding of war.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
02/27/04
Ross Anthony
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

[A] perversely enthralling documentary.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
02/05/04
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

This architect of war cum elder statesman directly benefits from Morris’ curiously stylish effort, making for enduringly captivating cinema.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
12/17/03
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

Offers a couple of hours of brilliant clarity amid the noise and chaos.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
03/16/04
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

Engrossing from start to finish... but it may be Morris's least challenging film...

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
03/08/04
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

By asking the right questions and guiding the interview into compelling territory, Morris has produced one of 2003's most memorable documentaries.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
12/19/03
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

What's genuinely suspenseful about the movie is its journey into the heart and mind of McNamara.

Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
02/27/04
Jay Boyar
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel

Even if you aren't a history buff or normally watch documentarties, Errol Morris' film is fascinating.

Full Review Source: Des Moines Register | comment Comment
03/05/04
Jeffrey Bruner
Jeffrey Bruner
Des Moines Register

The Fog of War offers many lessons to mull over, yet the most meaningful one might be the old axiom about history repeating itself.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
03/03/04
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

An exceptionally relevant and morally thought provoking documentary about America's immoral use of the weapons of mass destruction.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
10/17/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Awash in artsy-farsty tinsel, The Fog Of War is full of shiny surfaces and missed opportunities. It's the cinematic equivalent of a Sharper Image catalog.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Weekly | comment Comment
02/11/04
Sean Burns
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly
 
 
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