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Review #336 of 365
Movie Review of Ever Again (2006) [NR] 75 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $9.00
Where Viewed: Landmark Chez Artiste, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 13 December 2006
Time: 9:35 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Directed by: Richard Trank (Unlikely Heroes)
Screenplay by: Richard Trank based on original material written by Richard Trank (Unlikely Heroes) & Marvin Hier (Unlikely Heroes)
Narrated by: Kevin Costner (The Guardian)
Previous Academy Award® winners for Best Documentary for Genocide (1980) and The Long Way Home (1997), Ever Again is produced again by the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Moriah Films, Jack & Pearl Resnick Film Division and reunites Writer / Director Richard Trank and co-writer Marvin Hier. The documentary, narrated occasionally by Kevin Costner, centers attention on the growing rise of anti-Semitism throughout the western world over the past decade. While the release may seem curiously timed to coincide with the Iranian Holocaust Conference, the film does not serve to prove that the holocaust happened nor the extent of the atrocities committed. Rather it presumes that the historical evidence and record are indisputable; and, therefore, requires no defense. Rather the film, which is, unfortunately, incredibly one-sided in its approach to what are complex matters, seeks simply to document and comment on the rise of neo-nazi-ism throughout Europe and the rise of what the film calls radical Islamism. The chief problem with the film's potential for effectiveness in what appear to be its goals, to help warn people to the rise of fundamentalism within the Muslim community (repeatedly referred to using the outdated term, Moslems) and European youth especially white Christians and economic minorities of all races, is a failure on any level to acknowledge (a) the role the Israeli government has played in the worsening the instability of the relationships between Jewish Israelis, Muslim Israelis, and Muslim Palestinians and (b) that solutions to world harmony will only come through mutual dialogue and hard work to understand each other.
"…one-sided look at history and politics…a film that stirs up more fear, more division, and more resentment."
One-sided films from the Simon Wiesenthal Center are no better, really, than the very one-sided shows the film criticizes Al Jazeera for broadcasting. The film lost an opportunity, in fact, to do more than preach to the eagerly awaiting choir. It had the opportunity to appeal as it says must be done, to the non-radical, non-fundamentalist Muslims worldwide. It also had the opportunity, rather than simply focusing on radical Islam, to look at what happens to people worldwide who are prevented from practicing their religious freedoms. What happened in England for over 50 years when the Protestants did everything they could to suppress the Irish Catholics? It could have looked at the greater success of the communist governments in China vs. the USSR precisely because the Chinese government allowed people to continue, for the most part, to practice their religion—hence why there are Churches, Mosques, and Temples of all faiths all over the most populated regions of the country to this day and a communist government still in power. Instead, the film takes an all-too western approach that it's academics, wealth, might, and power, automatically are paired with greater truth, justice, integrity, and wisdom. This superiority complex is not only wrong, but it is part of the problem that fuels the anger of the rest of the world. This is not to say that the rest of the world is perfect, full of all the answers, does everything right, etc.; however, the presumption of righteousness and even the idea that God, itself, has pre-selected the western European / USA mode of thinking vs. any other mode, is so distasteful, arrogant, and obnoxious as to reinforce world-wide resentment. Moreover, if those attitudes can be tied to exploitation of the rest of the world, then the problems only compound. A lot has been written of late of the retirement speech of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his suggestions that the west and the USA use their considerable planetary influences to help stabilize and lead the world in global peace initiatives. He urged that strong moral principles and the values of truth, justice, and freedom that have been considered to be the cornerstones of USA civilization for over 200 years, be used to guide the future of USA policy as only then will the rest of the world comprehend and support the actions of the USA. For this film to have been as effective as possible, for it to have made the impact desired, and play a role guiding principled leadership, it needed to move beyond providing yet another decidedly one-sided look at history and politics. USA international relations as well as European international relations need to be two-sided affairs, not one side operating with a huge superiority complex and the other with a huge chip on its shoulder. Both sides must acknowledge failure to communicate and to understand. Both sides must put down their arms, fears, prejudices, stereotypes, and resentments, and spend a day in the other's shoes. Both sides must acknowledge the fears stirred up by lack of safety due to reports of savagery on the media by the other. Both sides must abandon mistrust and work for mutual understanding. It is too bad that this was not the approach of the filmmakers of Ever Again as they lost the opportunity to make a truly impacting and timeless film in favor of a film that stirs up more fear, more division, and more resentment.
Other Projects Featuring Ever Again (2006)
Narrator
Kevin Costner
Director
Richard Trank
Co-Writer
Marvin Hier
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