Death of a President

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Death of a President

R

Released Oct 27, 2006

1h 33m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

40%

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101 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Documentary filmmakers recount the events leading up to and following the fictionalized assassination of President George W. Bush in 2007. Jamal Abu Kikri, a Syrian national, is hastily fingered as the main suspect, and President Dick Cheney expands governmental power to fight terrorism at home with Patriot Act III. But as Kikri stands trial for the crime, another credible suspect looms into view.

Critics Consensus

In this unconvincing fictional documentary, the tense 30 minutes that lead into the title event is outweighed by the boring, melodramatic hour preceding it.

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Nancy Banks-Smith

Guardian

This beautifully made film was seamlessly woven with a warp of drama and a woof of newsreel. The drama to come made the newsreel of [George W.] Bush utterly gripping.

Feb 27, 2020

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Amy Nicholson

I.E. Weekly

Despite the audacious title and premise, Range doesn't aim to shock, but to unnerve

Rated: B

Jul 2, 2009

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David Edelstein

New York Magazine/Vulture

What's missing is shapeliness, suspense, narrative cunning, visual flair -- in short, art. Are we really to believe that a network of the future would broadcast such a barbiturate?

Oct 30, 2006

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

The film makes the critics nervous primarily because it points to processes that the US media prefers to ignore or conceal ... America seethes with unresolved political and social contradictions.

Feb 14, 2021

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Easily the year's most useless picture

Aug 28, 2009

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Beyond the feigned controversy stirred up by neocon zealots, "Death of a President" is nothing more than a high concept political hypothesis film that signals the futility of presidential assassination.

Rated: C-

Apr 24, 2009

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Audience Member

I am surprised at the low rating given by the critics. I thought this was an excellent movie, well produced and will messages that are still relevant. It is extremely believable. Cheney's attempts to focus on Syria, the fact Zikri was kept in jail even though the authorities knew he was innocent - compare that with the length of time people were kept locked in Guantanamo Bay for being in the wrong place at the wrong time - this movie is only too believable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Audience Member

Mockumentary, speculative fiction and social commentary combine to fuse an effectively told story about the imagined assassination of George W. Bush in 2007. The realism achieved by convincingly doctored news and stock footage can be chilling at times. Heightening the believability are the non-actory performances, particularly those of James Urbaniak (from Henry Fool) and M. Neko Parham. I remember this film getting panned when it came out (during GW's term). Perhaps we were all too close to the subject matter at the time to get it or maybe it seemed like too much of an affront to our then current administration. Either way, looks like this mockumentary aged well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

It is a shame to see such obviously talented writers and film makers manufacture such garbage. I suppose this film went over well within Code Pink, but for those of us not scared to call a spade a spade, or a Muslim extremist a terrorist, then don't waste your time and certainly please do not waste your money.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

There are a few good moments in this alternate history drama shot like a documentary. The problem is you have to really pull off the film to not make it seem like you are just using the premise for shock value. The way this goes is ultimately a letdown. Despite all the amateurs it had some good acting though.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

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richard d

A great mockumentary about the assassination of President George W. Bush. I was surprised how great the editing is. If you are interested in editing or sound design this is a must see. The story is tasteful. I'm convinced that if President Bush was assassinated, that this is what would have happened.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

It was pretty amusing-some of the video footage looked a little shady, but I thought it was worth my time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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Gabriel Range

Director

Hend Ayoub

Zahra Abi Zikri

Brian Boland

Larry Stafford

Becky Ann Baker

Eleanor Drake

Michael Reilly Burke

Robert H. Maguire

Patricia Buckley

Dawn Newton

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Synopsis

Documentary filmmakers recount the events leading up to and following the fictionalized assassination of President George W. Bush in 2007. Jamal Abu Kikri, a Syrian national, is hastily fingered as the main suspect, and President Dick Cheney expands governmental power to fight terrorism at home with Patriot Act III. But as Kikri stands trial for the crime, another credible suspect looms into view.

Director: Gabriel Range
Producer: Simon Finch, Ed Guiney, Robin Gutch, Gabriel Range
Screenwriter: Simon Finch, Gabriel Range
Distributor: Newmarket Film Group
Production Co: Channel 4 (England), Borough Films
Rating: R (Brief Violent Images)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 27, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 23, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $167.0K
Runtime: 1h 33m

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