No End in Sight (2007)

(Image from IMP Awards)


No End in Sight (2007)

'No End in Sight' is a devastating indictment of the misguided Iraq war, a documentary that presents, soberly, the facts and testimony from people intimately involved with the war and subsequent occupation. Much of the content shouldn't be a major revelation for anyone who has been paying attention over the last few years, but there is an undeniable power in this recap of the sequence of idiotic and callous decisions that were made; the end result is two hours of film that leaves one's mind reeling with incredulity and anger. It's a reminder that not only was the war unjustified from the outset, but that it was mismanaged from the outset as well. Things never had to get as bad as they have done, and the people to blame are still sitting smug and secure in the knowledge that they'll never be called to answer for what they did to Iraq (among the many other dubious things that they did, but that's outside the scope of this film).

Alright, so far this isn't much of a review. I'm not really sure what more to say about a film that is essentially archive footage and interviews. It's expertly edited and structured, and looks about as slick and professional as a documentary can get. Written and directed by Charles Ferguson, it seems to cover every relevant detail with an intellectual detachment and presents a lucid analysis of how events played out. Even the narration is low key - Michael Moore this ain't - but while it doesn't attempt to be overly dramatic, much of what is presented will still get your blood boiling, while the remainder will have you laughing at the tragi-comic nature of it all. Perhaps the only frustrating thing about the film is that it never answers the question 'why?', but seeing as that's open to so much debate and speculation, I can understand why it never goes there.

Overall, a terrific documentary and a must see, even for those who are familiar with the subject matter.