Movies Reviews

Under Fire: Journalists in Combat - Movie Review

By Ron Wilkinson Dec 8, 2011, 15:19 GMT

Concentrates on the psychological damage of combat journalism and does so with intensity and precision.

Most viewers will not consider seeing this excellent movie because there have been so many like it, exploding into both the narrative fiction and documentary market sectors. Nonetheless, like it or not, this one is better than most. If you have an ounce of interest in the lethal challenges faced by modern day war correspondents, you owe it to yourself to take this in. OK, at least in DVD format.

The subject matter in most war journalist movies addresses two subject areas. The first is the danger, action and excitement of being on a battlefield and getting the photo or story of a lifetime. The second is the moral dilemma of profiting from the suffering caused by war.

The winning approach taken by “Under Fire” is to concentrate on the masterful execution of the moral / ethical side of war journalism while inserting enough action footage to keep up the energy.

A key member of the crew making the movie is Dr. Anthony Feinstein, a psychiatrist who has devoted his professional life to the study of the psychological effects of war. He is in the right place at the right time because, currently, we are seeing most brutal and devastating acts of barbarism the world has seen.

Working with CNN, CBS, BBC, Reuters and other international news agencies, Feinstein made it his mission to look into the corners of the human psyche driven to photograph and write about man’s inhumanity to man.

War journalists from the New York Times, BBC, the Times of London and other premier global publications are interviewed about the effects of witnessing atrocities first hand. Often, they break down on camera as they explain their motivations for filing the most garish and controversial stories in the world.

For example, the man is interviewed who exhibited phenomenal courage (or insanity) by gaining access to the mob in Mogadishu to film the desecration of the body of the US Special Forces soldier, killed in the infamous “Blackhawk Down” mission against Somalian warlords. His motivations may not be what many have assumed. He is still dealing with the blowback.

The issue is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) caused by exposure to terrifying and lethal events and situations. This is the time bomb hidden in the military transports that bring war veterans home. PTSD sufferers will spend the remainders of their lifetimes with violent short-fuse tempers, suicidal low self-esteem, self-induced alienation from society and flashbacks that are impossible to stop.

The scary thing is that PTSD may be more profound in war journalists than in soldiers. The soldiers have a mission and their country is behind them. Even when they are political footballs. War journalists, on the other hand, are accused of exploiting misery in search of personal fame and fortune.

An example is the graphic coverage of the soldier who was killed in the Mogadishu raid. The photojournalist describes his own feelings and his desire to bring the light of public opinion to this kind of special operation.

There may be merit in this; however, the argument is complicated. He stands bitterly condemned by the deceased soldier’s family (the remains are identifiable in the photographs), the US armed forces and a large segment of the American public.

The film also offers a degree of illumination about the photo of the infant girl in war-torn Africa being approached by the vulture. The shot was taken in the midst of a heavily populated refugee camp with many people available to help the girl. Even so, the photojournalist has been singled out, internationally, and condemned for his (presumed) lack of concern for the child.

As more of these films are made and released, they evolve and get better with time. This movie, though hard to watch, is precise in its focus and discriminating in its subject matter. It is the latest and greatest. However, it contains graphic material that, in and of itself, borders on the exploitation of the tragic victims of civil / intertribal warfare.

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Documentary
Written and Directed by: Martyn Burke
Release Date: December 2, 2011
MPAA: Not Rated
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Country: UK
Language: English
Color: Color