Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden? A Review
Morgan Spurlock, Maker of Super Size Me, Is Back For Another Round!
Sep 8, 2008
Documentaries, as a genre, are not everyone's "thing." There are a few standard questions asked when the general public is faced with a documentary: is it boring? Am I going to be offended? Is it really political?
The true genius of Morgan Spurlock is that all of those questions can be answered with a resounding no. His is a career built from an engaging mind, a sincere and friendly way with people, and a solid grounding in diplomacy. In other words, when faced with a modest crowd of openly hostile observers in Israel, he merely smiles and continues to ask passerby if they might grant him an interview. No one is very excited about this, and the crowd just gets more hostile until there are men shouting at him and advancing in a threatening way. Spurlock looks a little taken aback by this, but he simply backs away from them and into a waiting car, hands up in a gesture of peace.
Fellow documentarian Michael Moore is often criticized for his lack of exactly this trait: the ability to keep the peace and examine a situation, rather than stir it up. However, they have one thing in common: how many other movie makers could get away with such shameless political animations? Al Quaeda cartoons are one thing hidden away on the internet, and quite another on the big screen.
Spurlock's Search Through the Middle East
As explained in the beginning of the film, this hunt was originally fueled by Spurlock's desire to lessen the worlds' evils by one, to protect his soon-to-be-born son. Somwhat ironically leaving his pregnant wife behind to fend for herself, he embarks on a journey to quite literally ask around for Osama Bin Laden.
Visiting Saudi Arabia, Morrocco, Israel, Egypt, and Jordan is no small task, but Spurlock takes it all in stride. He interviews journalists, family members of Al Quaeda leaders, and even university students. Several times throughout the movie, he takes to the streets and interviews any passerby who will talk with him. Except in Saudi Arabia, where free speech is an alien practice, many people do stop and talk with him, even going so far as to explain the unfavorable reputation America has gained in many of these places.
Spurlock Makes His Point Despite the Cartoon Schtick
Halfway through the movie, it becomes pretty obvious that the movie doesn't have much to do with politics or Bin Laden really. Most of Spurlock's time is spent talking to the working class of each country, the families who are hospitable enough to take him in for a night. He talks parenting with one couple, while their numerous children can be seen moving in and out of the scene. It's so human, so real and down to earth, the audience could almost forget it's a movie. Even better, it would be easy to forget that these people live in the same place as these terrorists.
Of course, no serious following of leads occurrs here, and only once is any real danger felt. There is just enough "hunt" to feel the urgency of the political climate, to acknowledge that this is a very serious matter, indeed, despite all of the farce. The tragedy is felt in the people, and the absurdity is felt in the government, or any of the multiple officials interviewed who assert their complete lack of information.
