The Invisible War (2012)
Average Rating: 8.3/10
Reviews Counted: 59
Fresh: 59 | Rotten: 0
The Invisible War is a vital and frank expose on sexual assault in the U.S. military, shot by master filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film is Not Yet Rated).
Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 20
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 0
The Invisible War is a vital and frank expose on sexual assault in the U.S. military, shot by master filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film is Not Yet Rated).
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Average Rating: 4/5
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Movie Info
The Invisible War is a groundbreaking investigative documentary about one of our country's most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within our US military. Today, a female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire with the number of assaults in the last decade alone in the hundreds of thousands. Focusing on the powerfully emotional stories of several young women, the film reveals the systemic cover up of the crimes
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Amy Ziering
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Kirby Dick
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All Critics (60) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (0)
I can hardly wait to see which closet Dick will throw open next.
Top CriticA must-see exposé of the abuse of power in an institution that is supposed to serve and protect.
I have rarely been more righteously riled up than I was while watching the documentary The Invisible War.
This travesty has been encouraged by a military culture that blames the victim and a policy directing soldiers to refer complaints to their commanding officer, which typically results in no action or even reprisals against those speaking out.
One of those documentaries that you watch both fascinated and repulsed - and one of those films that you sense just might be instrumental in helping to change an utterly unacceptable status quo.
"The Invisible War" makes all too clear that the military isn't very good at justice.
That the Pentagon has, since the making of this documentary, revamped its rules to try to improve things - in particular, offering immediate transfers for those who allege abuse - is testimony to the power of Dick's work.
This is an enraging film, as it is meant to be, [and] not just because it is a microcosm of rape culture, the collection of pervasive attitudes that rule our society that deny and dismiss men's violence against women.
...an erratically-paced yet often harrowing documentary that shines a light on an important (and under-reported) topic.
Addressing a rarely discussed social problem, Kirby's shocking docu could function as an agent of real change.
The film delivers a sledgehammer blow to the audience, with an experience every bit as shattering and overwhelming as one might infer from the subject matter.
It's an important, infuriating work. The testimonials from assaulted servicewomen and men should be screened on a loop in recruiting offices around the world.
Interview after interview, statistic after statistic, Dick's advocacy project thoroughly incenses -- and appears to be having results.
Let's hope the film causes enough change that we don't have to "discover" such abuses in yet another decade.
A disquieting investigative essential documentary that sheds light on the massive problem of rape and the systemic cover-ups in the US military.
The Invisible War is a crushing indictment of a system that is way off the rails.
This is one of those documentary films that makes me so angry I could just chew nails. This is because of the awful way the victims of sexual assault are treated by the military establishment.
makes a compelling case that the military is, as a retired Army general says, "a target-rich environment" for sexual predators. It is a difficult film to watch, but it should be harder to ignore.
The Invisible War presents 98 minutes of outrage, delineating in painful detail how our country's military has failed so miserably in protecting the women and (in some cases) men who made the choice to serve this nation with courage, pride and dignity.
Even if you do not see this movie yourself, please encourage any young woman you know who is considering enlistment to watch this movie first.
Kirby Dick has again shown great restraint in presenting such inflammatory material, betting a clear-eyed approach will have an inflammatory effect on his audience -- and it does.
Basically, the message from the military to potential rape victims is: if you get raped, it's your own fault...
Audience Reviews for The Invisible War
Super Reviewer
Did you know that it's more likely for a female servicemember to be raped than to be killed in conflict? And the PSAs that the military produces for soldiers are almost exclusively victim-blaming nonsense that is disguised as "prevention."
These are just two of the remarkable logos arguments in this harrowing, haunting documentary. The film has a good dose of journalistic integrity as it gives talking heads in the military brass an opportunity to respond to servicewomen's accusations, and all the interviewees' stories are well-told and tough to listen to. Although I found the film's use of these stories to get a bit repetitive during the film's middle third, it nonetheless renders a scary and unjust world for military women.
Overall, while I haven't seen all the nominate docs yet, this is certainly the front-runner.
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| fact checking | 25 days ago | 9 |
Latest News on The Invisible War
June 22, 2012:
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June 21, 2012:
Kirby Dick Talks The Invisible WarThe director discusses his hard-hitting new documentary.
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