Review: When it comes to politically motivated documentaries, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. More often then not, these movies are created and developed by activists, not filmmakers. Because of this, gripping stories of pain and suffering (plus the call to respond) get lost in the director’s idea that their cause is obvious to understand. As an audience member, you see a handful of these stories and you’ve had your fill. In many ways, Darfur Now suffered from this predicament because the marketing campaign signaled this was just another celebrity driven film. What people don’t realize is that it is a fairly even handed view on a complex crisis. Ted Braun does one thing right: he focuses on the individual stories that highlight the greater issues. Whether it’s a local sheikh in charge of a refugee camp, a rebel fighter seeking revenge or activists looking to bring awareness, Braun tries to remove himself from the subject matter. It’s refreshing to see a director who clearly does believe a certain way, and who is supported by producers who believe a certain way, manage to tell the audience “this is what I believe, but those who disagree should have their say.” Unfortunately, in many ways, it hurts the documentary’s impact. Audiences know this is a movie meant to convince you of the dire situation in Darfur and how a response is needed, but at times the soul of this mentality is lost. Sudan’s ambassador is not only given a chance to share his views, he’s allowed to create doubt in viewers minds. Similarly, interviews with various rebels gives the impression that protecting one side only shifts the killing from one group to the other (think Kosovo). From my own personal viewpoint, it’s hard to donate to support an individual who says, “like they burned us, I want to burn them." Now, obviously, this is just one opinion and not every refugee or even rebel fighter wants pure revenge, but it’s hard to ignore the potential outcome of revenge. Of course, that is my take and many could see this revelation as even more of a reason to participate in a solution. Don Cheadle takes an active role in this mindset and if anything, he is the most convincing. Unlike the UCLA student who cries when he realizes his task is harder then expected, Cheadle admits this is a slow process and that even causes that demand immediate action take time and influence. Both he and George Clooney (who makes an appearance) are two of the few celebrities who seem legitimately concerned and surprisingly mature about this issue. At the very least, even if you don’t ultimately join their cause, I feel you will respect celebrities just a little bit more (well, at least those similar to Clooney and Cheadle). Despite this maturity though, the film comes off uneven and without a proper climax. Audiences learn a lot about the individual lives affected in the crisis, but won’t feel inspired to join up. Even as a majority of the subjects cry “stand up” the mere presence of background voices whispering, “are you sure?” causes an impeding doubt. It’s unfortunate, because even with this doubt, I feel it’s an issue we can’t ignore for long. Review by Matthew Abshire Informative: 3- a quick historical round up builds a decent foundation, but their arguments are refuted within the film Entertainment: 3- sometimes you’re interested, other times you’re not Technical: 4- though it lacks a great climactic buildup, there are several little things the film does right Overall: 3.5- though insightful and inspiring, it’s uneven message and desire to detail both sides of the debate dulls the overall impact
 
Format: DVD Year: 2007 Running Time: 92 Min Distributor: Warner Bros. Producer: Don Cheadle, Mark Jonathan Harris and Cathy Schulman Director: Ted Braun Date Reviewed: 02-02-2009 Story: A gripping insight into the tragic genocide in Darfur, this documentary highlights the work of six individuals who have taken a role in trying to stop the killings and help the millions of suffering residents of the region. Filmmaker Ted Braun spotlights actor Don Cheadle, a politically active UCLA student, a refugee camp leader, an international prosecutor, an Ecuadorian working to feed starving victims and a young female armed rebel (NetFlix).