Redacted
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: November 16, 2007
4.9
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 68 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
30
Mixed:
8
Negative:
30
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
7
JackGMar 7, 2008
The movie itself is based on the true events of mahmudiyah killing in Iraq where a group of US soldiers raped a 14 year old girl, burned her body, and murdered her family. They all kept their mouths shut until one of the men told a The movie itself is based on the true events of mahmudiyah killing in Iraq where a group of US soldiers raped a 14 year old girl, burned her body, and murdered her family. They all kept their mouths shut until one of the men told a psychiatrist. Months later 2 soldiers from the same platoon were abducted/tortured/murdered in an act of revenge, the reasons as to why were not made public until months after the kidnappings. The movie stays pretty close to the facts. It does shine a negative light on the American invasion of Iraq but it is also a film about a gang rape and murder of a 14 year old and her family. I thought it was a pretty good movie overall, the special effects, locations, and props used were very good. The acting may have seemed a little cheesy a couple times, but this movie is about getting the story out more than anything. If this movie makes you mad at the filmmakers, then you really need to open your eyes at the bigger picture.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
ChadS.Feb 21, 2008
An internet slam poetess self-aggrandizingly vociferates about Hollywood's uneven depiction of American and Third World lives, in which a film like "Casualties of War" would be an exception to the rule, because it forces an audience to An internet slam poetess self-aggrandizingly vociferates about Hollywood's uneven depiction of American and Third World lives, in which a film like "Casualties of War" would be an exception to the rule, because it forces an audience to face the dissonant music of war; that the soldiers, "our boys", we see in the military recruitment videos nothing but mere end-products of wishful thinking. Like the underrated 1989 film starring Michael J. Fox & Sean Penn, American soldiers rape and kill a girl in "Redacted", a no-holds barred film that indicts everybody from filmmakers(even himself, he who directed "Casualties of War") to journalists, as profiteers of other people's misery and suffering. The faux-documentary, the film within the film, shows us how the media, not only soldiers, occupy a military state and act as collaborators of death. Salazar(Izzy Diaz) shoots his "war diary" to get into film school; the French documentarians shoot their film(judging by their flagrant use of artistry; the ants taking down the scorpion) to gain entrance into film festivals and win awards. When a young Iraqi girl's body is delved into by an American soldier's hands at checkpoint, the man behind the camera should turn it off, walk into that private holding room, and separate that marine from the nubile. It's more important to the filmmaker that he catch an American soldier behaving badly than being a decent human being. "Redacted" deconstructs the documentary film. To quote director Francis Ford Coppola when asked by a reporter about "Apocalypse Now" at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival, "This is Vietnam..."… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MannyR.Jun 3, 2008
Really should not have been released in theaters. However, it is solid made for TV material. The cast, for the most part, is horrible but they are supposed to be. You will never see these actors again save for one perhaps, the Blix Really should not have been released in theaters. However, it is solid made for TV material. The cast, for the most part, is horrible but they are supposed to be. You will never see these actors again save for one perhaps, the Blix character. Anyhow, it does represent the insanity and truth of the Iraq war well and what sends it over the top are the refugee interviews included with the DVD. For those giving it zeroes based on its 'propaganda', I would suggest that it is you who are completely and utterly brain-washed. One listen to Winter Soldier or Dar Jamaal's site or alternative news should correct that. It isn't a technical marvel but it is thought-provoking and does attempt to convey truth.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
EdwinNJun 30, 2009
Excellent reconstruction of a disgraceful act,Brian De Palma's Redacted is a shocking,saddening and absorbing portrayal of American soliders in Iraq. Just like in his precedent masterpiece,"The Casualties of War", De Palma films Excellent reconstruction of a disgraceful act,Brian De Palma's Redacted is a shocking,saddening and absorbing portrayal of American soliders in Iraq. Just like in his precedent masterpiece,"The Casualties of War", De Palma films soldiers in a way nobody ever could,in a cinema-verite approach that reminds Peter Watkins 70s flicks like "The War Game" or some of Watakamatsu's more abstract features about the Japanese army. "Redacted" also posesses visual and technical advances, with ambivalent camera movements and masterful editing with dual shots and different types of views(in the narrative sense of way).Influences are heavy, but in a positive way,not in a Quentin Tarantino way:Watkins,Costa-Gavras or even early Godard(This films presents diverse similitudes to Le Petit Soldat).It floats between fiction and reality, between documentary and stylish cinema,and remind us of the atrocities of the Iraqi war with a powerful touch: This is triple the shock, a lot more than lesser documentaries such as "Iraq in Fragments" or "Taxi to the Dark Side".Chapeau,Mr. De Palma, for your work has been as rich on the outside,than on the inside. Style and substance grandeur never felt better.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
equality7-2521Nov 26, 2007
Just saw this at Sunset & Cresent Heights. Not sure why only one showing per night... at 9:50PM. I think even Laemmle theaters is afraid of the film. Well, I'm in awe of Brian DePalma. I tip my hat to him. Ranks among his best, right Just saw this at Sunset & Cresent Heights. Not sure why only one showing per night... at 9:50PM. I think even Laemmle theaters is afraid of the film. Well, I'm in awe of Brian DePalma. I tip my hat to him. Ranks among his best, right alongside "Blow Out", "Casualties of War", "Carrie", "Sisters", and what was that underrated flick with Rebecca Romain - she played twins? Anyway, even if you're a not a DePalma fan, you'll get to see what the American media refuses to show us. THIS IS WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE, PEOPLE! Not only is it a well crafted film, it has something to say!! It wants YOU to WAKE UP!! So a couple of human interest stories got through the corp. and gov't filtered media: Abu Ghraib and the rape of a teenage Iraqi girl by U.S. military personnel... I wonder what else we've been missing. I saw the 16 minute press conference on YouTube, that's what compelled me to drive over and check it out. BTW, most of the reviewers posting on here are merely lemming disciples of FOX News and B. O'Reilly. Posting reviews about a film they haven't seen. Sad.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
RogerC.Nov 16, 2007
A passionate 21st century anti-war movie. It's like "Casualties of War" in theme: war creates war criminals. But it's very up-to-date technically. We no longer believe in the third-person omniscient camera. Now we wamt to know A passionate 21st century anti-war movie. It's like "Casualties of War" in theme: war creates war criminals. But it's very up-to-date technically. We no longer believe in the third-person omniscient camera. Now we wamt to know who's holding the camera and why and how. So we see the video from the aspiring film student, the French documentary, the Arab TV station, the video blog for Iraq spouses, the exclusive footage for embedded Americam journalists, the Arab website, the terrorist video, the home movie of the returned veteran etc. DePalma is reminding us of how we get our information. But, when you reconstruct all these pieces, you get back to the same message. War is brutal and brutalizing.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MartinF.Feb 19, 2008
The Americans hate the fact that the world hates them. Their propaganda machine is powerless against one thing: truth. Only simple truth distinguishes ugly from the pure. Likewise, users and critics didn't hesitate to show their The Americans hate the fact that the world hates them. Their propaganda machine is powerless against one thing: truth. Only simple truth distinguishes ugly from the pure. Likewise, users and critics didn't hesitate to show their ugliness and beauty with their ratings here, as if they can bend the truth in any way.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JadeKMar 14, 2008
It's important that someone portrays what is really happening. A must see for the whole family!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MarcS.Nov 16, 2007
The neocons will hate it.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
paulhNov 20, 2007
A very brave movie interestingly told. It is not anti-american:rather against the american presence in iraq and cant be called leftist in any degree.the montage sequence of photos at the end is incredibly powerful. A thoroughly modern piece A very brave movie interestingly told. It is not anti-american:rather against the american presence in iraq and cant be called leftist in any degree.the montage sequence of photos at the end is incredibly powerful. A thoroughly modern piece of film-making and de palma deserved his award at venice. For those who are angry at this movie remember that it is based on real events.in the end it does not make one angry but sad.this movie of course will get savaged in the states but for those interested it is definitely worth checking out. Dont expect saving private ryan however.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
DogSoldierOct 19, 2008
To all the Fascist that gave the film a 0:The check point in your mind has been over run. Nothing,not 7 years of occupation, will win the hearts and minds of this "Axis of Evil", "WMD threat to us", country. Reminds me of Nam 1967/8. And To all the Fascist that gave the film a 0:The check point in your mind has been over run. Nothing,not 7 years of occupation, will win the hearts and minds of this "Axis of Evil", "WMD threat to us", country. Reminds me of Nam 1967/8. And now,long after 11years war,58,000 dead and I can buy quality Vietnamese merchandise at many superstores throughout the US. Its not politics,its economics and I sure hope we get a good OIL deal. I mean we EARNED it, right FASCISTS scum ?… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
PeterF.Dec 14, 2007
An important contribution to recognizing the hidden costs of our illegal invasion.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
PeterPDec 18, 2007
This movie is great, stop complaining
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
AimenfzJun 18, 2019
The story is based on the Mahmudiyah rape and killings from 2006. It takes a pseudo docu-drama style and dramatizes the tragic events, all the while shedding light on the attempted cover up and subsequent investigation.

It can be a littleThe story is based on the Mahmudiyah rape and killings from 2006. It takes a pseudo docu-drama style and dramatizes the tragic events, all the while shedding light on the attempted cover up and subsequent investigation.

It can be a little hard to watch but it reveals the recent war culture and all that can and does go wrong when US soldiers invade foreign countries without any respect, regard, or understanding of the local cultures.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
7
BroyaxApr 23, 2018
Il y a deux façons de regarder ce film, la première... au premier dégré et la seconde au second... Au second degré, le film est très réussi puisqu'il constitue une merveille de satire du soldat américain dans un pays occupé (par lesIl y a deux façons de regarder ce film, la première... au premier dégré et la seconde au second... Au second degré, le film est très réussi puisqu'il constitue une merveille de satire du soldat américain dans un pays occupé (par les Américains).

Non seulement du point de vue des soldats eux-mêmes confrontés à un merdier inextricable et une mission ingérable mais également du côté des occupés (les Irakiens) et de l'opinion américaine (civile) avec la crise de nerfs de la gauchiste au piercing qui finit avec un "sieg heil" (!). Sans compter bien entendu, la grande muette, l'US Army elle-même lors de son enquête dont De Palma ne nous donnera pas le résultat.

On retrouve donc sensiblement caricaturés, les soldats aux mentalités diverses, de l'ancien taulard psychopathe (oui, carrément) à celui qui filme tout avec sa caméra en passant par le soldat bisounours très empathique avec l'ennemi. Sans oublier le gros bourrin de base qui ne pense qu'au cul et à ses flingues et inversement. Tout cela est drôle, exagéré mais recèle en même temps une part de vérité, à savoir que la guerre, puis une armée d'occupation en butte à une résistance et guerilla, eh bien, c'est sale.

Si on se cantonne au premier degré par contre, De Palma nous montre presque un documentaire, innondé de ses préoccupations pacifistes, un documentaire clairement orienté et colérique, indigné et tutti quanti : à notre époque, on dirait qu'il s'agit d'un merveilleux et salvateur "lanceur d'alerte"...

Alerte, la guerre c'est sale, attention, les armes tuent... les soldats surmenés tendent à déraper plus ou moins sévèrement et De Palma de nous faire gober que la décapitation en direct d'un soldat américain, c'était seulement à cause du dérapage de son unité, ouais, ouais, ouais.

Allons, allons, Brian, pas d'amalgames... on est bien d'accord avec toi, cette guerre était injustifiée et lamentable mais les vrais responsables ne sont pas les militaires, ce sont leurs chefs et partant, les politiques. Dommage que ta colère t'ait quelque peu obscurci l'esprit...

Redacted pourra donc être diversement interprété et c'est ce qui fait son intérêt ; d'un autre côté, on est pas toujours très sûr du pied sur lequel il faut danser avec ce film : naïveté gauchisante ou satire cynique ? De Palma reste en tout cas un sentimental comme le montrent les photos des victimes ensanglantées à la fin, toutes irakiennes (tiens, tiens) sur une musique pleurnicharde. On est encore loin du pathos de son "Outrages" mais on s'en rapproche.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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