Return to the Land of Wonders

Name: Return to the Land of Wonders
Genre: War, Documentary
Released: July 13, 2005
Duration: 88 min
Rating: 60

2005

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Mixed or average reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

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Movie Details & Credits

Arab Film Distribution | Release Date: July 13, 2005

Summary: Moving between the political sphere and everyday life on the streets of Baghdad, this documentary offers a unique glimpse into the resilience of Iraqis as they struggle to sustain their lives and to fight off a sense of despair and defeat. (Arab Film Distribution)

Director: Maysoon Pachachi

Genre(s): War, Documentary

Runtime: 88 min

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Critic Reviews

100

David Sterritt

The filmmaker keeps things lively by roaming far and wide with her camera, returning to the statesmanship side of the documentary often enough to let us follow relevant events as they unfold. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

An on-the-fly diary of events and impressions that offers insight into the challenges of extracting democracy from chaos. Read full review

James Crawford

As she revisits the formative people and places of her childhood, Pachachi achieves vérité lyricism, illuminating a host of lives shattered by both a ruthless dictator and the Western hegemon that replaced him. Read full review

V.A. Musetto

Offers interesting views of ordinary life in Baghdad that Americans won't find on TV news. But the impact is lessened by the director's failure to let those who think the war is justified have their say. Read full review

Noel Murray

Pachachi doesn't integrate her interviews into any kind of comprehensive portrait of recent Iraq history. They're bunched together randomly, like a collection of vignettes. Read full review

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[Anonymous]

Dec 27, 2005

The film has some good footage, but it's mostly talking heads. The biggest problem is that Pachachi has no inkling how to contruct a documentary.

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