Why We Fight

PG-13

Released Jan 20, 2006

1h 39m

Documentary

History

Drama

War

List

78%

Tomatometer

116 Reviews

88%

Audience Score

50,000+ Ratings

Since World War II, the United States has been almost constantly involved in combat, active participants in a string of wars fought entirely on foreign shores. Eugene Jarecki's documentary examines this phenomenon outside of partisan bickering, thoughtfully exploring what Eisenhower called "the business of war." Speaking to veterans of wars in Vietnam and Iraq, as well as military experts and journalists, the film discusses defense spending, foreign policy and the military-industrial complex.

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Critics Consensus

A provocative and timely film that explores the military/industrial complex and the motivating forces that lead us to war.

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Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

Rated: 5/5

May 13, 2009

Full Review

Keith Phipps

AV Club

Ultimately, Why We Fight reveals itself as yet another leftie doc with an anti-war agenda. But the mere fact that it takes time to ask questions and listen to opposing viewpoints sets it apart from the pack.

Rated: B

Nov 27, 2006

Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir

Salon.com

A film that stands out for its passion, ambition and clarion-call sincerity, even amid the contemporary onslaught of political documentaries.

Oct 7, 2006

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

In the end, Jarecki dares to imply that, perhaps, it is because we fight that we will not survive.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 27, 2020

Full Review

David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Unfortunately, Jarecki is unable to stick to material that supports his indictment of the entire thrust of American foreign policy since WWII. Instead, Why We Fight is devoted to a one-sided indictment...

May 7, 2020

Full Review

Dorothy Woodend

The Tyee (British Columbia)

If the director occasionally strays into bombast, . . .he still manages to make a strong case for war between democracy and capitalism, two systems conjoined in Western thought, but now terribly at odds.

Aug 24, 2017

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StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 39 minutes of real footage from across the globe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A great introduction to the levers of American power and the Corporate War Machine. The connections they draw together, the foundation in Eisenhower's address, and in particular their conversation on Blow Back all work seamlessly and effectively together. The only area of the film that keeps it from being 5 stars is the political immediacy of its Iraq War coverage, this is not to say anything negative about what they did, only that it dates a portion of what would otherwise have been a universal message.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Why we fight? Soldiers fight because they are told to fight. An enemy or a perceived enemy. To promote freedom, protect freedom? or to promote the American empire - with preemptive power and removal of government heads who are not pro-American. Both sentiments exist today. The last 10 minutes clarify today's position.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Why We Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki and released in 2006, is a documentary surrounding President Dwight D. Eisenhowerï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2(TM)s speech during his last day in office. His speech warned against the military-industrial complex, the idea that the combination of federal military actions and arms-dealing contractors could eventually threaten our democracy. This film attempts to convince the viewer to take a closer look at the military actions carried out by our government, and truly consider the reasons why we are in nearly constant war with nations we canï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2(TM)t even place on a map. While the film is entertaining, it is unlikely to turn opponents to their side. Most viewers interested in the film most likely begin watching with their own views coinciding with that of the film, leaving little room for genuine change in views. The film effectively uses lighting, music, and interviews with military and government personnel to make their point. The interviews with qualified individuals in politics and the military lend a distinct credibility to the film. There are fallacies within the film which, at first glance, you might not pick up on, but thinking critically of the filmï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2(TM)s persuasive devices allows the viewer to truly think critically about the film and its message.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The documentary Why We Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki, attempts to shed light on the reality of war and our motivations behind escalating to such levels. The film employs techniques such as lighting, camera framing, music, and real footage to convey a particular perspective on the audience, who is often unaware of such persuasive strategies. While these methods are used masterfully, others are not. The film quickly jumps from expert to expert, sometimes having each cut of a person talking be only 15-20 seconds long before they cut to the next person. This is hard to follow and confusing for the audience, and makes it very difficult to match a face with a name tag that was shown previously. This discredits the validity of the statements in the film and reduces the credibility of the supposed experts, since the audience cant keep track of each individual and their profession. Overall, its a very sloppy technique that brings the overall effect of the documentary down immensely. Another weakness is the prominent focus on Eisenhowers proclaimed military-industrial complex. This makes the complex seem like the most relevant point, reducing the importance of the other characterâ(TM)s claims and storylines. Now, the reasons to fight as narrated by Wilton Sekzer and William Soloman seem drastically insignificant, even though their reason for fighting is just as relevant. The directors seem to pick and choose what information they are going to highlight in the film by framing certain characters, which is very misleading and paints a false picture for the audience.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The documentary Why We Fight, directed by Eugene Jarecki, explains how Eisenhowerâ(TM)s Military Industrial Complex has been used to justify endless fighting. The film shows that in this process of trying to get ahead, many Americans have forgotten what we are truly fighting for. The documentary attempts to show that the United States government often works to fulfill its own interest, while convincing the American people that they are protecting us and securing our freedom. The documentary shows multiple interviews of people who are either directly involved in war or who have lived through its devastating consequences. In addition, the documentary presents many video clips and images to emphasize the destructive impact of war. This is a very powerful teaching technique because it is more interesting and appealing to the audience, as compared to a typical classroom lecture. The documentary urges the viewer to consider the fact that everything you hear isnâ(TM)t always true. The film teaches people not to blindly trust the government and to be cautious of the possible abuse of power. One problem with the film is that it is highly biased because it only shows the negative results of war, when sometimes war may not avoidable or may be the best option. I would highly recommend this documentary to high school or college students, because it challenges people to consider both sides of a topic and helps to develop individual beliefs and values.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

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Eugene Jarecki

Director

Kenneth Adelman

Actor

Joseph Cirincione

Actor

Anh Duong

Actor

Gwynne Dyer

Actor

John S.D. Eisenhower

Actor

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Synopsis

Since World War II, the United States has been almost constantly involved in combat, active participants in a string of wars fought entirely on foreign shores. Eugene Jarecki's documentary examines this phenomenon outside of partisan bickering, thoughtfully exploring what Eisenhower called "the business of war." Speaking to veterans of wars in Vietnam and Iraq, as well as military experts and journalists, the film discusses defense spending, foreign policy and the military-industrial complex.

Director: Eugene Jarecki
Producer: Roy Ackerman, Hans Robert Eisenhauer
Screenwriter: Eugene Jarecki
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Arte, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing War Images|Brief Language)
Genre: Documentary, History, Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 20, 2006, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 7, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.4M
Runtime: 1h 39m

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