MJM
5th March 2002, 04:57
Got this in my e-mail.
-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the March 7, 2002
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
"COLLATERAL DAMAGE": BORING LIES FROM THE PENTAGON
By Heather Cottin
"Collateral Damage" is one of those one-man-against-the-bad
guys Hollywood action movies that cost millions to make but
are a dime a dozen. The premise involves a firefighter,
played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who takes revenge for the
deaths of his family in a Colombian "terrorist" bombing in
Los Angeles.
Although Colombian guerrillas have never engaged in such a
bombing, the movie makes it appear that this is their MO.
The film was released just in time to prepare U.S. filmgoers
for the vicious bombing of the demilitarized zone in
Colombia initiated by the Pastrana government. No doubt
Washington gave the go-ahead for both the film and the
bombing. Having made the guerrillas appear to be terrorists
in the movie, there could be little opposition from people
here who are now primed to believe the lies "Collateral
Damage" perpetuates.
There is nothing factual about the movie at all, but
theatergoers may not know that. The movie depicts the
Colombian guerrillas as wanton killers of innocent
civilians, although as recently as Feb. 25 Newsday reported
that three quarters of all the people who have died so far
in the guerrilla war were killed by right-wing death squads.
The movie also links the guerrilla army with cocaine
production--another distortion of reality.
Paramilitary death squads are missing from the plot, as is
their relationship with the Colombian military and
Washington.
When Bush declared 2002 the "war year," he claimed that
Colombia was a terrorist stronghold, thus justifying his
Plan Colombia. "Collateral Damage" is propaganda that
furthers U.S. designs for an escalation of this war.
The only good news here is that audiences were bored by
"Collateral Damage." In the theater this reviewer went to,
people filed out complaining about the inanity of the actors
and the stupidity of the plot. Reviewers didn't like it
either. CNN.com gave the film an "F," saying succinctly,
"The movie stinks." We agree.
- END -
-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the March 7, 2002
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
"COLLATERAL DAMAGE": BORING LIES FROM THE PENTAGON
By Heather Cottin
"Collateral Damage" is one of those one-man-against-the-bad
guys Hollywood action movies that cost millions to make but
are a dime a dozen. The premise involves a firefighter,
played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who takes revenge for the
deaths of his family in a Colombian "terrorist" bombing in
Los Angeles.
Although Colombian guerrillas have never engaged in such a
bombing, the movie makes it appear that this is their MO.
The film was released just in time to prepare U.S. filmgoers
for the vicious bombing of the demilitarized zone in
Colombia initiated by the Pastrana government. No doubt
Washington gave the go-ahead for both the film and the
bombing. Having made the guerrillas appear to be terrorists
in the movie, there could be little opposition from people
here who are now primed to believe the lies "Collateral
Damage" perpetuates.
There is nothing factual about the movie at all, but
theatergoers may not know that. The movie depicts the
Colombian guerrillas as wanton killers of innocent
civilians, although as recently as Feb. 25 Newsday reported
that three quarters of all the people who have died so far
in the guerrilla war were killed by right-wing death squads.
The movie also links the guerrilla army with cocaine
production--another distortion of reality.
Paramilitary death squads are missing from the plot, as is
their relationship with the Colombian military and
Washington.
When Bush declared 2002 the "war year," he claimed that
Colombia was a terrorist stronghold, thus justifying his
Plan Colombia. "Collateral Damage" is propaganda that
furthers U.S. designs for an escalation of this war.
The only good news here is that audiences were bored by
"Collateral Damage." In the theater this reviewer went to,
people filed out complaining about the inanity of the actors
and the stupidity of the plot. Reviewers didn't like it
either. CNN.com gave the film an "F," saying succinctly,
"The movie stinks." We agree.
- END -