Immensely Disturbing: Taxi to the Dark Side

Taxi to the Dark Side
Directed by Alex Gibney
Released January 18, 2008

I can say with certain conviction that this is the most disturbing film I have ever seen. I went into it knowing nothing other than that it was an Oscar-nominated documentary about the Iraq War. What I was not prepared for was the gut-wrenching, haunting images and descriptions of the methods of torture which are often inexplicably condoned by the U.S. government while simultaneously being decried and derailed by other high-ups and important people. Coupled with "No End in Sight", this certainly makes Donald Rumsfeld look like the most despicable man on earth. The most disturbing thing about this film is the interviews with those implicated for or accused of torturing prisoners: their relative nonchalance and the way that they do not seem to think they did very much wrong. I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this film because it is just so difficult to watch, but it is important and a stunningly documented effort.

B+

Oscar chances: I doubt this film can eclipse "Sicko". With three Iraq-related documentaries and a film by Michael Moore in this category, I can say for sure that whoever wins this category will make a speech just as memorable as that by Michael Moore back in 2002.