Standard Operating Procedure

Errol Morris's newest documentary is an effort to shed some light on the infamous Abu Ghraib scandal, in which American soldiers stationed at the prison photographed themselves and others engaging in 'questionable' tactics with the Iraqi prisoners. Relying heavily on the actual still photographs, this film is more visually disturbing than Morris's The Fog of War, but it likewise tries to achieve an understanding of incidents that until now have been seen mostly through the popular media. Interviews with soldiers, supervisors, a military advisor, and others collectively retell the story of the abuses, but also call into question the military's 'handling' of the situation (coverup) and its double standards with regard to acceptable behavior. It is difficult to sympathize with some of the convicted soldiers, as their actions seem to have been the result of extreme ignorance, stupidity, and disregard for human life - but one must remember that soldiers are trained to exhibit those very qualities, and the film attempts to show their actions in light of the horrific conditions of Abu Ghraib. One of the more outrageous aspects of the scandal, which is not examined too deeply in the film, is the military's ambiguous distinction between a 'criminal act' and 'standard operating procedure,' where the given examples of both, to my mind at least, seemed undoubtedly criminal. It gives the impression that the military's attitude is that anything goes until someone finds out - so the only thing that separates these Abu Ghraib soldiers from others all over Iraq is that their photos went public, not that their behavior was abnormal. It is a glaring example of the superficial 'self-correction' that is so typical of corporations or hierarchical systems such as the military: even though orders had been given, however unclear, it was the bottom level participants who took the fall, while other guilty parties were never even mentioned, let alone incriminated. For a more in-depth experience, Morris collaborated on a book of the same name.

WORTH WATCHING
3.5 out of 5
Buy this film: Standard Operating Procedure
Download: Standard Operating Procedure

Plot: 3
Imagery: 3
Originality: 3
Soundtrack: 3
Overall: 3.5