John Horgan
Like many who teach courses on terrorism, we sometimes encourage our students to look at movies relevant to their studies. With widespread recent praise for Zero Dark Thirty (see Bruce Hoffman’s article in the Huffington Post) and the inevitable recommendation to watch The Battle of Algiers, I decided to assemble a quick personal list of terrorism-related movies. For me, Four Lions remains the greatest film ever made about terrorism.
A reminder that TV shows don’t count (so, sorry Homeland but you don’t even make the “Guilty Pleasures” category), The Road to Guantanamo is a docudrama, Diameter of the Bomb is a documentary. Argo definitely doesn’t count. The Dark Knight technically counts, but if terrorism is something that we know “when we see it”, TDK is not really about terrorism. Oh, and I know you all know this by now but the villains in Die Hard were not actually terrorists but thieves (“exceptional” or otherwise). I’m sure I’ve forgotten some, and welcome your additions below.
My Top Ten (1 = Top)
- Four Lions (2010)
- Syriana (2005)
- Paradise Now (2005)
- The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008)
- United 93 (2006)
- Carlos (2010)
- Five Minutes of Heaven (2009)
- Shadow Dancer (2012)
- The Battle of Algiers (1966)
- The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)
Honorable Mentions
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
- Salvador (1986)
- Omagh (2004)
- Mississippi Burning (1988)
- American History X (1998)
- The Dancer Upstairs (2002)
- Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
- The Lives of Others (2006)
- Day of the Jackal (1973)
- Body of Lies (2008)
Guilty Pleasures
- The Amateur (1981)
- Sword of Gideon (1986)
- Team America: World Police (2004)
- Arlington Road (1999)
- The Peacemaker (1997)
- Clear and Present Danger (1994)
- The Siege (1998)
- Year of the Gun (1991)
- Michael Collins (1996)
- Blown Away (1994)
To Avoid
- The Jackal (1997)
- Collateral Damage (2002)
- Air Force One (1997) [Save for the immortal line – “Get off my plane!”]
- The Sum of All Fears (2002)
- The Kingdom (2007)
- The Devil’s Own (1997)
Additions? Omissions? Suggestions?
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I would add “A Wednesday”!
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the word “Terrorist” is very subject. For some a particular terrorist is not a terrorist but a freedom fighter and then for some that particular person is a terrorist http://www.ranker.com/list/best-terrorism-movies-list/all-genre-movies-lists
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Thanks Simon. have to check out ‘The Assignment’!
To make the list less Eurocentric, as well as to highlight the link between non-state/state forms of terror, should add ‘Catch A Fire’ (2006). Surprised ‘Munich’ (2005) didn’t get a mention. Whilst ‘The Jackal’ should be avoided, ‘The Assignment’ (1997) is a much better story about Carlos the Jackal.
Lost Command, the Hollywood version of Battle of Algiers also has its merits as it starts the story earlier, looking at the French military intervention in the Far East. How about Rendition? Cleanskin is a recent British film that is definitely one to avoid.
“The Boxer” with Daniel Day Lewis also an interesting film with backdrop to IRA ceasefire
RepStones – Body of Lies is there (Hon. Mentions). It’s a great film but seeing Fifty Dead Men Walking a second time recently made me appreciate it more and it pushed BoL down the list. Bloody Sunday seems to be my egregious omission from the overall list…
To all thanks for the comments and suggestions. Brian – Haven’t seen Love/Hate but will definitely check it out, thanks for the rec. John
Four lions was a excellent film as was the wind that shakes the barley. The Devils Own and Patriot Games were good films in themselves but Brad Pitt as an IRA man trying to keep a low profile and the IRA carrying out an operation in the USA shows how detached from the real world that film makers are.
The latest series of Love/Hate that aired on RTE 1 has a number of characters depicting members of the Real IRA and is probably the best and most realistic portrayal of IRA members that I have ever seen.
Though not about terrorism as it occurs: how about Bloody Sunday?
Glad to see Five Minutes of Heaven and Syriana on the list!
What did you think of “Traitor” with Don Cheadle?
“Operación Ogro” by Gillo Pontecorvo, same director of Battle of Algiers, best movie about terrorism ever!!!!!!
Additional great suggestions – Brazil (via @BCSubpeonaNews), Back to the Future (via @nonleaguejim) and The Molly Maguires (via @ramzinohra01)
Nothing Personal and Ressurection Man are good looks at dehumanising effect terrorism has on those who commit it. No emphasis on CT procedure as most films focus on.
Surprised Body of Lies is absent. Although getting an English actor to play a Jordanian CT chief was cringe-worthy.
Hunger, Some Mother’s Son, Executive Decision, Under Siege, The Believer – all additional recommendations sent to @ICST_PSU Thanks for all these suggestions!