Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

State of Fear

Play trailer State of Fear 2005 1h 34m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 12 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Filmmaker Pamela Yates turns her camera on the battle between Peru's Shining Path rebels and government forces. Fueled by the idea of unseating what it saw as a government of the privileged, Shining Path employed widespread violence as it rose in the 1980s. As the leftist group maintained its influence into the '90s, President Alberto Fujimori used undemocratic methods to crack down on Shining Path. For Yates, the conflict is also a lens through which to examine America's post-9/11 government.

Critics Reviews

View All (12) Critics Reviews
Scott Tobias AV Club Whatever its propagandistic purpose, State Of Fear draws out these contemporary resonances through a straightforward, four-square documentary style, patiently revealing its history lesson via the expected talking heads, archival footage, and photog Rated: B Nov 27, 2006 Full Review G. Allen Johnson San Francisco Chronicle An informative and valuable documentary about the past 30 years of messy times in Peru, but it is also frustrating. Rated: 2/4 Jul 28, 2006 Full Review Elizabeth Weitzman New York Daily News Yates' unblinking chronicle of recent Peruvian history paints a devastating picture of a people nearly destroyed by their own leaders. Rated: 3/4 Jan 13, 2006 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews This dry but informative no frills film is a good educational tool. Rated: B Sep 24, 2007 Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) It gives one much to think about, and that's the first order of the day for any documentary. Rated: 4/5 Oct 4, 2006 Full Review Hartford Courant Rated: 4/5 Aug 5, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1) audience reviews
Audience Member This documentary is based on Peru's Truth and Reconciliation committee findings concerning the 1980-1990s civil war between the Peruvian govt and the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). Much of it consists of first-person interviews, and so can be broken up into sections for classroom use depending on one's needs. Towards the end it discusses how Fujimori used the fear of the Shining Path to enact neoliberal economic reforms, and the fall of his regime under corruption charges (including the footage of Montesinos taking stacks of cash in exchange for govt favors). Overall, this documentary is moving and disturbing. It does focus far more on the abuses by the Peruvian govt, rather than those by Sendero. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
State of Fear

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew
View All State of Fear photos

State of Fear

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmaker Pamela Yates turns her camera on the battle between Peru's Shining Path rebels and government forces. Fueled by the idea of unseating what it saw as a government of the privileged, Shining Path employed widespread violence as it rose in the 1980s. As the leftist group maintained its influence into the '90s, President Alberto Fujimori used undemocratic methods to crack down on Shining Path. For Yates, the conflict is also a lens through which to examine America's post-9/11 government.
Director
Pamela Yates
Producer
Paco De Onis
Production Co
Skylight Pictures
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 34m