Review: Errol Morris is arguably one of the best filmmakers of our era and Fog of War certainly is no exception to this understanding. The first time I saw Fog of War was in a classroom screening and despite the large crowd, Morris' film makes you feel as if you are in the same room, asking questions directly to former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. It's a brilliant filming technique that draws the you into the film and makes you almost entirely forget the world around you. Your main fear going into this documentary is if it will force you to become sympathetic to McNamara's problems and decisions. After all, our society has come to resent the man for his involvement in the Vietnam Conflict almost as much as Presidents LBJ and Nixon. However, while Morris' film will certainly have you at least understanding the former Defense Secretary's decisions and thought processes, the director’s main concerns lie not in the man but what he says. Unlike An Inconvenient Truth which tries to make Al Gore out to be a saint at times, Fog of War focuses on the wisdom of a man whose made countless mistakes. In truth, Morris’ film almost acts as a confessional: though McNamara tries to avoid all the responsibility, he certainly bears a lot of the weight. To me though, what's most interesting is how almost every lesson (and there are about eleven of them) he gives can be applied today. It's sad to think, but his advice has been largely ignored and for the first time I truly feel like history is repeating itself in more ways than we want to admit. I will let the lessons speak for themselves as they are anything but a lazy attempt at subdividing the film. In fact, that's what makes Morris such a great filmmaker as he is able to turn one interview with one man into a feature length documentary that is infinitely more compelling then most films of any genre. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have Philip Glass' music moving and supporting the work. As you can tell, I have nothing but high praise for Fog of War. Even though there seems to be something holding me back from calling it the best film of the past five years, it’s certainly compelling, engaging and extremely informative, and like most Errol Morris films, it becomes a great commentary on our society. This is a must see for anyone, especially if you don’t know who Robert McNamara is. Review by Matthew Abshire Informative: 5- Provides you with an opportunity to literally peer into the mind of one of the most powerful and complicated men in our modern history. Entertainment: 4- It might just be a 2 hour interview with McNamara, but you certainly won't be bored by what is discussed. Technical: 5- Great effects and use of historic footage. Overall: 4.5- I loved this documentary, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to give it a 5.
The Fog of War
Format: Theater Year: 2003 Running Time: 107 Min Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics Producer: Julie Ahlberg and Michael Williams Director: Errol Morris Date Reviewed: 5-16-2007 Story: Former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara worked for both Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, playing a key role in shaping both administrations' approaches to the Vietnam War. This Oscar-winning documentary directed by Errol Morris traces McNamara's career from government to the World Bank; but it's his work during the Vietnam years that's highlighted in this film, which features extensive archival footage and interviews (NetFlix).