Review of The Ambassador (2011) by Hank H — 29 Oct 2012

Follow the mind boggling documentary through hidden cameras as Danish journalist Mads Brugger becomes an ambassador to the Central African Republic. Mads has a look somewhere between Hunter Thompson and Mike Meyer and Goldmember. Via dubious sources and graft he is able to become acquire authentic documentation that making him an actual ambassador with diplomatic privilege. That in itself would make a good documentary, but Mads travels to a country that is one of the most dangerous places in the world to smuggle blood diamonds out of Africa.

Once in Africa, he meets and networks with a crew of other dubious Ambassadors who are more than willing to discuss the in and outs and dangers of their business which he captures via hidden camera.

He forms an illegal contract with a miner who has a mine not far the conflict in the northern portion of the country and hand over 15 Million Francs to the miner never to if he will see him again at the same time he discovers that his passport is not up to the current diplomatic requirements.

With Mads life on the line at every minute its hard to believe that this is real and at several points I was waiting for the movie to stop and some explanation that he had died during the movie and this was found footage. The ending is kind of off putting, and he does explain the on of his key sources (Chief of security for the government) assassinated. Definitely a good watch and different than most anything else you will ever see.