The War on Democracy

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77%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 13

87%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 2,388

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Movie Info

Award-winning journalist John Pilger examines the United States' role in Latin American politics over the last 50 years.

Genre:

documentary
Original Language:

English
Director:

Christopher Martin, John Pilger
Producer:

Christopher Martin, Wayne Young
Release Date (Streaming):

Apr 17, 2020
Runtime:

1h 36m

Cast & Crew

John Pilger

Hugo Chavez

Philip Agee

Duane Clarridge

Jose Serrano

Christopher Martin
Director

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for The War on Democracy

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (3)

John Pilger's angry story of how a rapacious US covertly brutalised its Latin American neighbours should be a compelling documentary. And so it often is, despite being marred by a dewy-eyed interview with President Hugo Chvez of Venezuela.

July 9, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
But it is all very watchable, even though we have been through most of it before

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

London Evening Standard
Pilger's portentous voiceover and intrusions into shot bespeak an excruciating vanity

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Anthony Quinn
Independent (UK)
The show is ultimately ruined by its ophidian writer/presenter Pilger, who is something of an acquired taste

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
A dynamic and emotionally effective diatribe against global capitalism's role in undermining popular second or third-world democracies

June 15, 2007 | Full Review…

Wally Hammond
Time Out
Tailored towards the small-screen.

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Neil Smith
BBC.com
While this diligently researched film cogently moves from Latin American nation to Latin American nation, explaining the strangely predictable cycle of uprisings among these countries, it's ultimately hard to identify the audience it addresses.

May 2, 2008 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Sara Maria Vizcarrondo
Boxoffice Magazine
Yet with all its flaws and its righteous tone (thanks to Pilger's pervasive narration and on-camera presence), the film tackles the Achilles Heel of American politics: its historically abysmal foreign policy failures

September 7, 2007 | Full Review…

Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
In short, Grow Your Own isn't quite as funny, as clever or as moving as it should have been but it remains watchable thanks to its likeable characters and performances.

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
Pilger's not exactly unbiased, while belligerent talking-head interviews sometimes feel like Jeremy Paxman with 'roid rage. Yet, faced with the contempt of American policymakers, it's hard not to sympathise with his viewpoint.

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Jamie Russell
Total Film
GEORGE BUSH loves to lecture us about how his war on terror is all about preserving freedom and spreading democracy. What he doesn't tell us is how for the past 50 years, the US has covertly tried to crush both in a bid to control South America

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

David Edwards
Daily Mirror (UK)
A forceful if occasionally partisan documentary. Pilger's interviews are deeply revealing and his sly intelligence punctures many myths about America's support of democracy.

June 15, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Jamie Russell
Film4

View All Critic Reviews (13)

Audience Reviews for The War on Democracy

Aug 04, 2011

Truly excellent. Everyone should watch this.

Mark C Super Reviewer
Apr 07, 2011

Amazing documentary about the truth about the one of the most controversial figures in the modern history - Hugo Chavez, and the role of the US government in killing the real democracy in Venezuela! Someone wrote about the movie: "You poor poor sheep! you sleep sleep sleep! Why wont you wake, the world is waiting for you, your mothers raped and murdered, your little sisters raped and murdered, your fathers raped and murdered, you sons, uncles, the world is raped and murdered. But the coke is sweet and pizza is good; the porn is hard and the music rocks..." This documentary hits you hard with the truth about the role of the "democratic" forces in destroying the real forces chosen by the democratic governments! There is no rules... everything is in play, destroying dreams through economical measures, napalm bombing of innocent countries, snipers, death squads... name it, they used it! Actually, they still use it! John Pilger YOU did a great job... I salute you!

Panta O Super Reviewer
Apr 25, 2008

John Pilger always delivers with strong authority, just as polemic as Michael Moore, but much more intelligent. This documentary systematically unveils and explains the hypocrisy of America's stance on freedom and democracy. With a long lineage in coup d'etat's and replacing elected officials with dictators, it places the US's recent posturing on Russia and Georgia into an interesting light.

Jon H Super Reviewer