VividSimon Simply Perfect
KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
bert-114 The title was a misnomer. I expected this documentary to be a politically charged picture with an anti-PMC slant -- on the contrary, it is a well-balanced documentary which is very informative. It is an introduction to the PMC world and explains the beginnings of it in Africa, and the current explosion of contracting in Iraq.It has no political slant to the left or the right, it does not make any assumptions, nor does it try to tie anything up to some large plot like many of the other post-911 political documentaries. It just states facts and interviews people who know what they are talking about.Very much recommended to anyone who remotely cares about what goes on around them, regardless of political affiliation.
hobbes3 There's a reason this doc is called "Shadow Company". These people literally operate in the shadows. Little is known by the general populace about the "private security companies" that augment our American military presence in places like Iraq. Before I saw this doc I knew virtually nothing and I consider myself to be a reasonably well informed person. I make a point of keeping up with current events. But it came as complete surprise to me that there are dozens of these private companies, their employees hired to provide security for foreign dignitaries and business executives who operate in war zones. They live the lives of soldiers and put their lives on the line as soldiers do and yet, when one of them dies, who mourns? Who even knows except their own circle of loved ones. This film will open your eyes.
kolrael I just received my copy in the mail, and to be honest, I was completely surprised by the sheer entertainment value of the film. it's edited remarkably well, written well, and the interview subjects are interesting, and entertaining. Graphics and text inserted during conversation explain technical phrases or give statistics that you'd ask for naturally, so there's no drop off in wishing things were explained more. It's quite neat. The documentary is very objective, taking no side in the issue. It goes back quite a ways in the contemporary history of the Mercenary/Contractor world, while still being relevant to today's world.Highly recommended to anyone interested in Foreign Policy, or Military oriented subjects.-Chris
dominikagirl Being a non-military globally conscientious girl (who oft would even name herself a pacifist), I would have to say that this documentary was one of the biggest eye openers for me in the last few years. All the stereotypes, even the limited ones I had, were explored, dissected and supported, contested and investigated in the way you expect an objective documentary to be. The voices, both supportive and opposing, both disturbing and considerate, historical and modern... all were incontestably honest and articulated in an engaging way. The format of the documentary is one the defies convention - I hesitated to use Terrentino's name because only the unexpected dynamics of the format can be compared to him: things are presented in a way that you don't expect and you are left with questions to ponder yourself rather than a bunch of answers that settle the issue for you. This is a documentary that empowers the audience and for some people this is an unexpected and thrilling OR scary concept.I was asked to travel to Sierra Leone to do still photography for this project but other than that, I had no involvement of the story building process. I am amazed to see how each of the people they interviewed, and the facts they accumulated, have been presented in the final product in a way that is engaging and informative. No wonder Edward Zwyck was a fan of this doc - it's a rare example of what the documentary format can be used for.
