A new documentary about the notorious former US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, Henry Kissinger, has been met with widespread criticism for its sanitized portrayal of his policies. The film, titled "Kissinger," repeats many of the same talking points that have been made about Kissinger's actions, but fails to provide any real depth or nuance.
The documentary glosses over the atrocities committed during Kissinger's tenure, including the secret bombing of Cambodia, which led to a devastating genocide. Instead, it focuses on more sanitized aspects of his policies, such as his involvement in the opening of China and the signing of a nuclear arms limitation treaty with Russia.
One of the most egregious omissions is any discussion of Kissinger's role in the Vietnam War. The film barely mentions the war, let alone its devastating consequences for American soldiers and civilians alike. This lack of attention to the war's impact on America itself is particularly galling, given that many Americans suffered and died as a result of Kissinger's policies.
The documentary does feature some dramatic readings of transcripts from Kissinger's secret phone calls, but these are largely used to provide a glimpse into his Machiavellian mindset rather than to reveal any concrete details about his actions. This approach fails to provide viewers with the kind of insight they might expect from a documentary about one of the most influential figures in modern US foreign policy.
The film's reliance on Niall Ferguson, Kissinger's authorized biographer, is also noteworthy. While Ferguson does provide some interesting insights into Kissinger's motivations and mindset, his own biases and agendas are nowhere to be seen. The omission of any critical perspectives from other experts adds to the documentary's overall superficiality.
Ultimately, "Kissinger" feels like a missed opportunity to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of one of the most infamous figures in modern US history. Instead, it offers viewers a sanitized and simplistic portrayal that fails to reveal the full complexity and depth of Kissinger's policies and motivations.
The documentary glosses over the atrocities committed during Kissinger's tenure, including the secret bombing of Cambodia, which led to a devastating genocide. Instead, it focuses on more sanitized aspects of his policies, such as his involvement in the opening of China and the signing of a nuclear arms limitation treaty with Russia.
One of the most egregious omissions is any discussion of Kissinger's role in the Vietnam War. The film barely mentions the war, let alone its devastating consequences for American soldiers and civilians alike. This lack of attention to the war's impact on America itself is particularly galling, given that many Americans suffered and died as a result of Kissinger's policies.
The documentary does feature some dramatic readings of transcripts from Kissinger's secret phone calls, but these are largely used to provide a glimpse into his Machiavellian mindset rather than to reveal any concrete details about his actions. This approach fails to provide viewers with the kind of insight they might expect from a documentary about one of the most influential figures in modern US foreign policy.
The film's reliance on Niall Ferguson, Kissinger's authorized biographer, is also noteworthy. While Ferguson does provide some interesting insights into Kissinger's motivations and mindset, his own biases and agendas are nowhere to be seen. The omission of any critical perspectives from other experts adds to the documentary's overall superficiality.
Ultimately, "Kissinger" feels like a missed opportunity to provide a comprehensive and nuanced exploration of one of the most infamous figures in modern US history. Instead, it offers viewers a sanitized and simplistic portrayal that fails to reveal the full complexity and depth of Kissinger's policies and motivations.
it glosses over some super bad stuff like the bombing of cambodia and doesn't even mention the vietnam war properly 
i mean, how can you make a doc about kissinger without talking about that? and niall ferguson is just a shill for kissinger 
and the film's all about the "dramatic" readings of his phone calls but it's just not deep enough 
i mean like they're glossing over some seriously dark stuff about kissinger's tenure, like the secret bombing of cambodia and all the devastation that came with it... meanwhile they're more concerned with his cool diplomatic moves in china and russia? 
i'm also super disappointed that they didn't include more diverse perspectives from experts... like what about some critical views from people who actually disagree with kissinger's policies? 
Now I know some people might say that this docu is trying to show a more balanced view of Kissinger, but if you ask me, it's just another example of how the " establishment" likes to sanitize history to fit their own agendas. 
. Instead, this doc just feels like a bunch of whitewashing if you ask me 
.
. They barely touch on how his policies led to some major human rights issues in countries like Cambodia... 
it’s crazy that they glossed over the whole genocide thing. And what really gets me is how they barely mention the impact of his actions on American soldiers and civilians. It feels like they’re just trying to make him look like a genius or something 
. And what’s up with using Niall Ferguson as the expert? Like, we need some balance there 
this doc is straight fire 
- they actually show kissinger bombing cambodia 
and what he did in vietnam is like totally ignored 
i mean come on, it's a total cop out 
if you wanna make a documentary about him, at least do the right thing and tell the truth 
welp, there is no one to offend here 
it's just another example of how ppl in power can get away with whatever they wanna do 
. like, yeah sure let's gloss over all the atrocities he committed in cambodia and focus on some 'positive' aspects of his policies... meanwhile american soldiers and civilians are still suffering from the after effects of vietnam and no one even mentions it 
I mean what's the point of even making a docu if you're not gonna go deep? And don't even get me started on Niall Ferguson's "expert" opinion