Rating: 
Summary: LESSONS OF HISTORY AND HUMAN FRAILTY
Review: This film is an invaluable look back at not only the Vietnam War era, but at the overall mindset relating to war in general that has been held by this country - and the world - in the 20th century, continuing, unfortunately, to this day. McNamara is an enigmatic figure - as much as he appeared before the cameras and in the public eye during his tenure as Secretary of Defense under presidents Kennedy and Johnson, he's a very private man. Even in the interviews that make up the bulk of this film, while he is refreshingly - and at times, shockingly - open about the events that transpired on his watch, and his thoughts, and the conversations he shared with those in high places, he remains pretty tight-lipped when Morris attempts to delve into subjects he is not willing to talk about. Still and yet, this is a pretty amazing document - it very much deserved the Oscar it received as 'best documentary' of 2003 - and, more importantly, it gives those who are too young to remember the times it depicts as sense of what it was like to live through them, to witness them. It also gives McNamara the opportunity to set the record straight about some very important moments in history - and affords him, through the gift of hindsight and the wisdom that he has acquired with age and experience, to recognize the mistakes that were made, and grants us the chance to learn from them.Included in the film are tape recorded conversations made in the Oval Office of the White House - conversations that most Americans have not had the opportunity to hear. It shows how the decision-making process at the highest levels should work - the president, ultimately responsible, asks for and receives the counsel of a variety of experts on matters of national security. Arguments occur - opinions are exchanged, oft-times heatedly and emotionally, between reasonable men. But as McNamara observes, sometimes reason and good intentions are not enough - sometimes things work out for the best through pure chance and good luck. He relates how, many years after the Cuban missile crisis, on a visit to Cuba, he learned during a conversation with Fidel Castro that, contrary to US intelligence at the time, there were already nuclear warheads in Cuba - the belief at the time was that the warheads were en route to the island aboard Russian ships, which instigated the blockade by the US. Castro assured McNamara in this conversation that the warheads were there, and that he was prepared to advise the Soviets to use them, knowing full well the consequences - a world-wide nuclear conflagration that would have very likely destroyed the two superpower nations, and would have most assuredly left Cuba a smouldering piece of charcoal. McNamara was horrified - as he is looking back, in the film, at several periods of his life, when he was involved in decisions that held the lives of thousands of people (military and civilians) in the balance. His remembrances of the Vietnam War are both revealing and painful. Similar to his meeting with Castro, he describes a meeting with (formerly North) Vietnamese officials, long after the war was over - it caused him to admit the errors in judgement and outlook that plagued and crippled US understanding of the situation in Southeast Asia at the time. The US government viewed the conflict as a part of the Cold War - he sees now that the Vietnamese viewed it then, honestly, as a war against colonialism, that they saw the US as nothing more than replacements for the French, who had oppressed them for so long. The former Secretary admits that he's not so naïve to think that war can be completely eliminated - he doesn't think humanity can manage to do that - but he expresses the hope that through honestly and humbly reviewing our history and admitting our mistakes and shortcomings, we can avoid blowing ourselves to bits. While he asserts that the mistakes were not all made by him, he also states that by no means is he attempting to shirk responsibility for his actions and errors in judgement. It's an honesty that is refreshing, even considering his past and how he was reviled and hated by the peace movement in the 60s and 70s - it's an honesty and openness that the current administration could (and should) take to heart...but somehow I don't see that happening. If the White House has seen this film, they most likely determined from it that they should be even more secretive about their agenda and actions. A pity. This film is interesting, entertaining, and brilliantly presented - Philip Glass has written another perfect score with which to frame it. It's something that should be required viewing in history classes - and indeed by all Americans. 'Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it' is a pretty tired old saw, but a valid one.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing and Superficial
Review: This is a disappointing attempt by Mr. McNamara to wax profound on his tenure as Secretary of Defense. The DVD does contain a few short but interesting comments about people like JFK and Castro; in general, though, it is a superficial treatment of history. I remember vividly everything about the Vietnam War and Mr. McNamara's prosecution of it; he was a true automaton who seemed to relish spouting facts and figures. He hasn't changed much. I don't know what he was attempting to do in this film other than to salve his conscience.
Rating: 
Summary: The Moose Hole - McNamara Leaves Things Slightly 'Fog'gy
Review: At the current moment the United States is drawing closer to the June 30th date in which we will transfer governmental power of Iraq over to the Iraqi people, though it is expected that our troops will remain there for quite some time in order to maintain stability in the region until the new Iraqi government has gained enough experience to do things for themselves. It has been over one year since the war in Iraq began and the controversy and debate over whether we were right in our decision to take action against Saddam Hussein still looms over the minds of numerous Americans amidst the slowly increasing death toll and the sudden, if not over-blown, prison abuse scandal. Though President George W. Bush is taking increasing pressure from presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry for improperly handling the war effort, the Democratic Party has set it sights more recently on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in his handling of the prison abuse scandal as well as execution of the Iraq War. So much animosity for the man has grown amongst the party that many have called for him to resign, which he and the president have refused to allow. Such hostility for the Secretary of Defense has not been seen since Robert McNamara took heat for the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which has led to his discussion of the events of his life in the latest documentary from Errol Morris entitled, The Fog of War. The documentary centers on the discussion with the former Secretary of Defense under both President John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson on the significant events, namely the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War, which occurred during his time in office prior to his resignation in 1967. Robert McNamara, who was born in the early 1900s around the time U.S. involvement in World War I (what Woodrow Wilson coined, "The War to end all Wars") was coming to a close, was lucky enough to attend the University of Berkley in the midst of the Great Depression and went on to Harvard. In his time at the Ivy League school, World War II broke out and the U.S. Air Force set up a recruitment station, in which McNamara was involved in coordinating. From there he went on to work for the Ford Motor Company and, in time, assumed the role of president, only to quit the position five weeks later in order to serve as Secretary of Defense under the Kennedy administration. Within the course of his time in office, Robert McNamara oversaw operations ranging from the Cuban Missile Crisis (1963) to the early stages of direct U.S. military involvement in the region of Vietnam and took intense scrutiny not only from the Republicans at the time but also from people within the Johnson administration as well. After his resignation from the position of Secretary of Defense in 1967, McNamara went on to serve as the president of the World Bank from 1968 to 1981 and continues to offer assistance to the federal government in numerous areas today. The documentary The Fog of War offers a view on the concepts of warfare from a man many may have misjudged all these years. Though several of McNamara's life lessons are reasonable and easy to apply to one's own life, there are some, namely lesson five on the proportionality of war, that are incongruous in the modern age of warfare or in any time of war. This is not to say a nation should be able to fire-bomb another nation in the midst of war without facing limits but the basis of what he is proposing doesn't make sense in the purpose of warfare. Another prominent problem was Morris' editing style which was overly choppy; leading to many to wonder what he was leaving out and for what reason he was doing so. Overall, The Fog of War offers some clever insights into both the Kennedy and Johnson administrations but fails in its efforts to clearly express a unified message in spite of wonderfully crafted conversations from former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. McNamara's conversations will either leave you, depending on your political stance and prior knowledge of history, hollering at the screen or erupting in applause. He never sticks in one fine area of politics, which, in a way, makes him all the more interesting to listen to just for the shake of his unpredictability. Unfortunately, in light of that fact, the whole documentary feels uneven as McNamara starts in one time period (1963) jumping to his childhood in 1918 back to World War II then to Vietnam then back to WWII only to return to Vietnam once again, which may leave a few viewers unfamiliar with historical dates confused. The audience also gets the feeling that McNamara may have gone a little too easy on certain individuals, namely John F. Kennedy, with whom he seemed to have been pretty close to, no more notably then in the discussion of Kennedy's funeral plot at Arlington Cemetery. He fails to focus on Kennedy's failure at the Bay of Pigs which results in the Cuban Missile Crisis, which he called a victory (if only in his mind), as well as his failure to adequately end any conflict in Vietnam by ordering an invasion of the North prior to the Viet Cong's infiltration of the South. Though certain individuals are quick to assume that in light of the Iraq War that this film should reflect significantly on the decisions made thus far by the Bush administration, this documentary is to be required viewing more for the Democrats then the Republicans if only to show that their party's past candidates did far worse then what they accuse the Bush administration of doing in the midst of the War on Terror. It should noted that those going into this film should have some prior knowledge of the historical events that take place within the context of the documentary in order to full assess and judge statements made by Robert McNamara.
Rating:
Summary: Forceful, erudite recanting of McNamara's career...
Review: For those viewers who believe former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara is the "villian" of Vietnam, get ready to reasses that perhaps unfair viewpoint. This film by Errol Morris makes both a detailed and at the same time, a "big-picture" view of McNamara's career that may cause even the most strident anti-McNamara demonstrator to convert. Told with a remarkable tenderness and an eye towards history, this work shows McNamara as he would undoubtedly have been portrayed had he not been involved with Vietnam, which is to say a brilliant, thoughtful and sensitive government servant who deserves history's nod as one of (if not THE) most influential Defense Secretaries, possibly even Cabinet members in our history. The film shows historical footage of McNamara as JFK's Defense Secretary being asked his opinion on the then accepted view of him as a "know-it-all" who never makes mistakes and presents a rather smug attitude to all who question him. His answer is surprising and humble and this clip sets the tone for the entire movie. Basically, this is a video interview with the now 85 year old McNamara, interspersed with many films and video spots from his long history in the Kennedy and Johnson Cabinet. What's surprising (and a welcome diversion) is how much is revealed of RSM on a personal level. Topics such as his parents, his mentors from his military service (he served in the Air Force during WWII), his personal relationship with his wife and children and heretofore little known intimate dealings with Kennedy and Johnson make this work much more than just a documentary. These topics, told in the unique McNamara voice style (an educated "frog-like" sound) carry a powerful dialectic which naturally drags the viewer along. I'd wager (as I've previously mentioned) that even the people that hate him the most will still enjoy viewing this to see what the REAL McNamara is about. Major historical milestones such as the perceived missile gap with the Soviet Union at the start of the Kennedy administration, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis and of course the initiating events in Vietnam are covered by McNamara with a clarity and forthrightness that has seemingly characterized his post-government career. "Matter-of-fact" recounting's of decisions relating to troop enlargements and bombing plans in Vietnam are explained with contriteness and epitomizes RSM's rationale for his actions in this period...he was simply an important government official who's duty it was to advise the President on military matters. Indeed, the oblique "domino-theory" was his reasoning for the escalation there and he now lectures us on how not only that policy was wrong, but that the goverment should have more thoughtfully reappraised it's actions taken there. Portraying a surprising humility, McNamara now talks about how precious life is and how regretful his whole involvement was in Vietnam. At the same time, he still refuses to go into any great detail explaining some specific events, sighting the continued controversy that still surrounds his tenure in the government. His career and some initiatives as President of the World Bank are covered and McNamara is humerous in his acceptance of the fact that he was "fired" by Johnson for voicing his realization of the ineptness of the situation in Vietnam. The strongest points of this DVD (in my opinion) are in the Special Features section...here we see the "cut" sequences where he deals with Kennedy and Johnson on a personal level and this more than anything else adds the depth to this work that really makes it stand out. Whether you love him or hate him, you'd have to agree that McNamara was exceedingly influential in his term at the Pentagon and has continued it in his post-government career. This film sort of vindicates him (at least in my viewing) for those famous "international misunderstandings" (the domino theory) and provides an important history "bridge" between that seminal period and now...certainly still a point in history that continues to be an important lesson for today's government officials and a work worthy of the Academy Award.
Rating:
Summary: Informative and bittersweet
Review: This movie is bittersweet. Robert McNamara was an architect of our tradgedy in Viet Nam and was hated by many people during that era. But now we see he is a wizened, intelligent, thoughtful old man. At times his voice breaks and tears roll down his cheeks. Why couldn't he have been that thoughtful when he was in power? How many thousands of lives would have been saved? The film itself is visually atrractive. Set and lighting are warm yet stark, like the subject himself. There is nothing slow or boring about this film, when it ended I went straight to the outtakes for more. Most of the shots are close-ups of McNamara as he relates insider stories of national intrigue starting with WW1 and continuing through Viet Nam. McNamara's face and voice are unusually emotive and the director understands and highlights the irony when McNamara is saying one thing but his face says another. The direction is excellent. It doesn't matter when you were born or if you were alive during the Viet Nam period or not. There are two very good reasons to own this film: You'll learn how our government works behind the scenes - how huge decisions can be based on confusion; you'll see the direct correlations between how Viet Nam became a national nightmare and how Iraq is traveling along the same path.
Rating:
Summary: WOW
Review: Just to listen to JFK and McNamara discuss the plan for the Cuban missile crissis and how close to war we really were was eye opening and a wonderful historical account and well worth the cost.
To see and incredibly intelligent elder, stone faced, tears welling up in his eyes, talk about America and what we did through out not only the cold war but Vietnam is stark, gripping and an extremely important account from one of the most influentail powers in recent American history.
This should be required viewing for all Americans. It's dark and depressing and the truth that we don't really want to see but history that we must never forget.
Rating:
Summary: Big Mac in the House!
Review: So many reviews provide the content of Fog of War... thought I'd just raise some questions inspired by the film... I'm giving 5 stars, simply for the fact that it was made. I'm thankful to Big Mac for the access, and the filmmakers for their work. It's easy to imagine this film playing in the Smithsonian. And bonus -- maybe Big Mac has set a precedent? To the reviewer(s) who think Kissinger got a raw deal in "The Trials of Henry Kissinger": Kissinger (and others) should do a documentary like "Fog of War"! If they want to open up, I'm sure top directors would love to do it. And to another reviewer, yes, Mac has the JFK stamp of approval, and this helps his image even today. And, just maybe, Kennedy's hand picked men have slightly different values - or auras - than their successors, making them more palatable for media (liberal? academic? dazzled?)... and they're filtered softer to audiences. Another reviewer mentions Mac's similarity to Rumsfeld.... They both excel at maximizing military efficiency. They both don't question the President (at least publicly). Also, both serve(d) presidents that seem immune to papers. Mac's Pentagon Papers did not move LBJ, and paper stacks will likely not sway W. LBJ or W. *may* respond to a face to face disagreement - or, they may kick the disagreeing Defense Secretary out of the loop :-). The stand-out line of the film is when Mac is asked, "Who's fault was the (Vietnam) War?" Mac answers, "The President." This raises a good question -- which Mac/the film doesn't answer: Should a Defense Secretary ever question the President.... And if he does and gets nowhere, should he ever raise questions publicly? Big Mac raises a question himself, regarding the US/NATO nuclear first strike option. Big Mac says the US should never use it, and he seems to abhor that the first strike option is in law/policy language. But - the US has benefited from the threat to use a first strike. Particularly during Mac's Defense tenure, the first strike threat was a strong deterrent to keep the Soviets out of Western Europe. We could not have defeated the USSR in a conventional European war. (Mac knew this fact, but it's not in the film). And Ike ended the Korean War six months into office, many say, by threatening China with a "very short war" -- with nukes. It's nice leverage to have. Why Big Mac is against that option now is beyond me. Big Mac seems not completely open with some statements (which makes me skeptical of his other statements). For example, Mac describes the coup that removed South Vietnam's President Diem. Mac says JFK had planned to remove US troops from Vietnam - but the coup derailed the plan. What Mac does not say is that JFK green lighted -- if not ordered the coup!!! (JFK says just that on disc -- ISBN: 1891620363). JFK/they derailed the withdrawal plan, or short-term plan anyway, themselves! The coup didn't just happen! After describing the coup, Mac says simply that the US was "partly responsible," but this seems deceptively vague. If anything, Fog of War provides inspiration to look deeper at many of the issues Mac brings up. Quick take on the film's aesthetic: Fog of War is directed as "arty." There are quick cuts, tilted cameras, tilted backgrounds, etc. And the score is very lush - really like a dramatic Hollywood blockbuster. Personally, I'd rather see one solid camera on Mac for 90 straight minutes. (But lots of the historical film footage cut in is educational). Even with all the technical bells and whistles, Mac is the main attraction. He and the film are important, and in some ways, unprecedented, contributions to the library of modern history fans.
Rating:
Summary: The Fog of War--The Sequel
Review: Rumsfeld is our McNamara. Some years down the road Rumsfeld will be asked about the mistakes we made in Iraq. Those mistakes will then be seen as the same type made by McNamera as the United States got enmeshed in the quagmire of Vietnam. For example, Vice President Chaney recently said Rumsfeld is the greatest Secretary of Defense we have ever had. In "The Fog of War" that same claim is made about McNamara during the time he was so influential.! The similarities between then and now are made strikingly clear by this film. But--who listens?
Rating:
Summary: Another Powerful Errol Morris Film
Review: The Fog of War is basically a well-packaged two hour interview with Robert McNamara, the subject of this feature because of his position of Secretary of Defense under Kennedy and Johnson. It is a captivating glimpse into a man who served in America's most important war of the 20th century (WWII) and helped build its most infamous. While the subject of this film is clearly McNamara's role in and reflection of Vietnam, filmmaker Errol Morris begins his piece by sculpting the life of the now 85 yr old former wiz-kid. The film traces his role as a strategic analyst for bombing raids against Japan, his short stint as President of Ford Motors and his eventual place alongside Kennedy and Johnson. We also get to see some personal moments about him, such as his claim to be the person who selected Kennedy's gravesite at Arlington. But Morris does not get side-tracked giving us too much irrelevant information; his piece is clear and to the point. The film attempts to place McNamara in the position of a sage-like wiseman, who near the end of his life can educate the rest of us on the lessons that should be drawn from his successes and failures. Make no mistake, the film clearly attacks the logic behind the Vietnam War (and war in general) and even gives McNamara the chance to pass the buck to Kennedy and Johnson. But I find a refreshing attempt at truthfulness in this film that is usually lacking from most political texts aimed at persuasion. While I disagree with many of the conclusions the film wants its audience to embrace, I can't deny the skill of the filmmaker who has given the world a piece of history that should be cherished forever. Nothing is more historically relevant than to hear tapes of McNamara's conversations with Kennedy and Johnson, two strong-willed men whose fearless determination is noticeably absent from the leaders of their political party today. It is impossible for me to review any political documentary in 2004 without comparing it to this era's most famous documentarian, Micheal Moore. Errol Morris's The Fog of War is what I consider a true documentary (a claim I cannot make about Moore's works). His film attempts to display the truth of the situation he sees, rather than the tricky way Moore tries to shape the world to fit his views. Moore could learn a lot by viewing the powerful works of Errol Morris. The two men get to the same conclusion about war, but Morris does have to resort to half-truths and outright lies to prove his point. Compared to true documentaries like this, Moore's works are shown to be what they really are: entertainment.
Rating: 
Summary: 58,000 Dead - Amazon Won't Post My Review? Why?
Review: Amazon is not posting my critical review about how the film whitewashes McNamara's complicity in JFK's & LBJ's business venture known as the Vietnam War. Nice censorship. Wonder if they will post this one.
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