Interpreters Wanted
2023·Drama·1h 24m
7.1
★
A documentary 14 years in the making that follows the story of two Afghan interpreters as they journey through years of Russian occupation, then Taliban rule and then attempt to help the U.S. after the attacks on 9/11.
Directed by Robert Ham
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Crew
Jenna Cavelle
Producer
Popular Reviews
1 review
Danny Sheahan
7.0★ · 06/24/24
This documentary tells the important story of two Afghani interpreters who worked for the US during the War in Afghanistan, as shown through the lens of director Robert Ham, a former US military videographer who had served with the two interpreters.
The issues this doc raised left me furious at the US government for our broken promises and lack of protection afforded to the men and women who risked their lives to assist us in the war. Despicable.
The most compelling parts of the doc for me were the text conversations the movie shows us that were happening in real time, showing the fear and anxiety these interpreters were going through while the US left them in danger. The third act climax was intense, and I was really genuinely scared for what the result could be to one of our protagonists. But I felt like there was an overly staged interview at the end which somewhat dulled that prior impact.
I also felt like the film could have benefited from some more characters/details. While the three subjects it focuses on are interesting, I didn't feel like any of them were engaging enough to fully anchor a movie. I also felt like there was more context I was missing about the topic. The filmmakers could have interviewed say, embassy workers who could explain the backlog they saw of visa requests, fellow marines who can speak to the broader topic of trying to get their friends out, government workers who can give the behind the scenes of what was causing the visa holdup, etc., As is, the doc generally works for me, though I feel like the small scope limits the amount of information this doc was able to provide on the topic.
Still a worthwhile story to tell and an interesting watch. Also shoutout to Ramesh for the lovely score.
The issues this doc raised left me furious at the US government for our broken promises and lack of protection afforded to the men and women who risked their lives to assist us in the war. Despicable.
The most compelling parts of the doc for me were the text conversations the movie shows us that were happening in real time, showing the fear and anxiety these interpreters were going through while the US left them in danger. The third act climax was intense, and I was really genuinely scared for what the result could be to one of our protagonists. But I felt like there was an overly staged interview at the end which somewhat dulled that prior impact.
I also felt like the film could have benefited from some more characters/details. While the three subjects it focuses on are interesting, I didn't feel like any of them were engaging enough to fully anchor a movie. I also felt like there was more context I was missing about the topic. The filmmakers could have interviewed say, embassy workers who could explain the backlog they saw of visa requests, fellow marines who can speak to the broader topic of trying to get their friends out, government workers who can give the behind the scenes of what was causing the visa holdup, etc., As is, the doc generally works for me, though I feel like the small scope limits the amount of information this doc was able to provide on the topic.
Still a worthwhile story to tell and an interesting watch. Also shoutout to Ramesh for the lovely score.
This documentary tells the important story of two Afghani interpreters who worked for the US during the War in Afghanistan, as shown through the lens of director Robert Ham, a former US military videographer who had served with the two interpreters.
The issues this doc raised left me furious at the US government for our broken promises and lack of protection afforded to the men and women who risked their lives to assist us in the war. Despicable.
The most compelling parts of the doc for me were the text conversations the movie shows us that were happening in real time, showing the fear and anxiety these interpreters were going through while the US left them in danger. The third act climax was intense, and I was really genuinely scared for what the result could be to one of our protagonists. But I felt like there was an overly staged interview at the end which somewhat dulled that prior impact.
I also felt like the film could have benefited from some more characters/details. While the three subjects it focuses on are interesting, I didn't feel like any of them were engaging enough to fully anchor a movie. I also felt like there was more context I was missing about the topic. The filmmakers could have interviewed say, embassy workers who could explain the backlog they saw of visa requests, fellow marines who can speak to the broader topic of trying to get their friends out, government workers who can give the behind the scenes of what was causing the visa holdup, etc., As is, the doc generally works for me, though I feel like the small scope limits the amount of information this doc was able to provide on the topic.
Still a worthwhile story to tell and an interesting watch. Also shoutout to Ramesh for the lovely score.
The issues this doc raised left me furious at the US government for our broken promises and lack of protection afforded to the men and women who risked their lives to assist us in the war. Despicable.
The most compelling parts of the doc for me were the text conversations the movie shows us that were happening in real time, showing the fear and anxiety these interpreters were going through while the US left them in danger. The third act climax was intense, and I was really genuinely scared for what the result could be to one of our protagonists. But I felt like there was an overly staged interview at the end which somewhat dulled that prior impact.
I also felt like the film could have benefited from some more characters/details. While the three subjects it focuses on are interesting, I didn't feel like any of them were engaging enough to fully anchor a movie. I also felt like there was more context I was missing about the topic. The filmmakers could have interviewed say, embassy workers who could explain the backlog they saw of visa requests, fellow marines who can speak to the broader topic of trying to get their friends out, government workers who can give the behind the scenes of what was causing the visa holdup, etc., As is, the doc generally works for me, though I feel like the small scope limits the amount of information this doc was able to provide on the topic.
Still a worthwhile story to tell and an interesting watch. Also shoutout to Ramesh for the lovely score.
