Control Room

Intense, heartbreaking, a little surreal

Intense, heartbreaking, a little surreal

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Day 248 of 365 of my year long challenge

Week 36: Breaking News!
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Taking a look at Al Jazeera and its relations with US Central Command during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Control Room is an intriguing insight into a newsroom who, for most in the west, is an outsider at best and "enemy" at worst.

I can't say I knew what to expect going in simply because I simply knew nothing about this film. All I knew then and need to let you know now is that in presenting the story from Al Jazeera's point of view, there's an inherently different take on everything. As far as I've ever been able to tell, the network is unflinching in its efforts to present a balanced truth. Whether this is, has been or will be the case is debatable but it's fair to say they're up there in terms of credibility and integrity.

Certainly, in following senior producer Samir Khader and journalist Hassan Ibrahim, this is the sense that both the men and the network attempt to represent and uphold. They simply want the truth and will show that no matter how ugly it is. It's interesting to note then that, as idealistically forward as these men are, it is Lt. Josh Rushing, the face of CentCom's media force, who seems to have something comparable to a character arc. Whether he really does or not, the film never gives us enough to go on but it appears that way.

These Cinéma vérité style documentaries are exceptional and insightful but they're impossible to often get a gauge on. Particularly in a film with subject matters such as this. The film itself does little interesting but the questions it throws up are powerful. These are what drive the film and although Control Room clearly supports freedom of speech in the media, it doesn't push the message or the question as far as it could have. That's not to say there haven't been controversies following the film about what it shows and how these things are presented but the film still plays things reasonably safe.

The questions it raises drive the film, the people it follow become the face of the film but it's arguably the fair-minded and reasonable presentation of Al Jazeera that becomes the power of the film. The men and women Al Jazeera all seem as enthused by American ways of thinking and idealism but the truth has a way of jading people and for them, the truth is more important than the dreams of Iraq's "Saviours".

Control Room is a surprising, intriguing and necessary documentary, it just isn't all that it could or should have been. In capturing real life, there's an absence of a notable voice but nevertheless, if the film makes you ask the questions, it has done enough to be worthy of every second of your attention.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 248 of 365 of my year long challenge

Week 36: Breaking News!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taking a look at Al Jazeera and its relations with US Central Command during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Control Room is an intriguing insight into a newsroom who, for most in the west, is an outsider at best and "enemy" at worst.

I can't say I knew what to expect going in simply because I simply knew nothing about this film. All I knew then and need to let you know now is that in presenting the story from Al Jazeera's point of view, there's an inherently different take on everything. As far as I've ever been able to tell, the network is unflinching in its efforts to present a balanced truth. Whether this is, has been or will be the case is debatable but it's fair to say they're up there in terms of credibility and integrity.

Certainly, in following senior producer Samir Khader and journalist Hassan Ibrahim, this is the sense that both the men and the network attempt to represent and uphold. They simply want the truth and will show that no matter how ugly it is. It's interesting to note then that, as idealistically forward as these men are, it is Lt. Josh Rushing, the face of CentCom's media force, who seems to have something comparable to a character arc. Whether he really does or not, the film never gives us enough to go on but it appears that way.

These Cinéma vérité style documentaries are exceptional and insightful but they're impossible to often get a gauge on. Particularly in a film with subject matters such as this. The film itself does little interesting but the questions it throws up are powerful. These are what drive the film and although Control Room clearly supports freedom of speech in the media, it doesn't push the message or the question as far as it could have. That's not to say there haven't been controversies following the film about what it shows and how these things are presented but the film still plays things reasonably safe.

The questions it raises drive the film, the people it follow become the face of the film but it's arguably the fair-minded and reasonable presentation of Al Jazeera that becomes the power of the film. The men and women Al Jazeera all seem as enthused by American ways of thinking and idealism but the truth has a way of jading people and for them, the truth is more important than the dreams of Iraq's "Saviours".

Control Room is a surprising, intriguing and necessary documentary, it just isn't all that it could or should have been. In capturing real life, there's an absence of a notable voice but nevertheless, if the film makes you ask the questions, it has done enough to be worthy of every second of your attention.