The War on Democracy is famed television documentary filmmaker John Pilger's first major foray into the cinema. It was two years in the making and covers the tenuous relationship between the US and Latin America.
Pilger argues that the US likes to yell about spreading democracy but in fact seems to be doing its best to sabotage it – it's a compelling argument.
He takes us first to Venezuela where we meet charismatic President Hugo Chavez. When elected 10 years prior, he began to inject back into his country lucrative oil money.
The film revisits the coup of 2002 all brilliantly captured on archival film, then the revolt of the people against the regime, demanding their beloved President be re-instated. This segment of the film had the most impact on me and was most interesting.
It is then onto Bolivia and Chile where much of the same examples of people power are shown.
Pilger goes to great pains to make clear what links, influences and lengths he believes Washington will go to, to achieve their end game… total economic control of the region.
His interviews are strong and well explored. Dianna Ortiz, an American nun who was gang raped in the '80's under a US backed regime was moving. And his encounter with CIA operative Duane Clarridge is particularly chilling. Clarridge is so brazen in his support of US Foreign Policy and the damage that comes with it, that a staggered Pilger is lost for words.
I really enjoyed The War on Democracy, but I fear with so many extraordinary documentaries around at the moment, Pilger's seemed more geared to the small screen rather than the cinema.
The subject matter is enthralling however and for that I'll give it 3.5 stars.
