Review of Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? (2008) by Joseph — 26 May 2008

An entertaining summary of the political tensions behind the so-called 'war on terror'. presented by Morgan Spurlock with a lot of charm and humanity.

The main flaw is that the central conceit of Spurlock 'searching' for OBL is pretty silly: it's obvious that our genial host isn't actually going to track down the world's most wanted man, so there's no dramatic tension in the film. Nevertheless, it works as a travelogue of some of the world's most war-torn places. There's something quite heartwarming about the way that Spurlock is welcomed in most of the places he visits by people who express a desire for peace, although there are also a few who openly admire the titular character. Spurlock only receives one really hostile reception, and I'd never have predicted the place in which that happens.

I was particularly impressed by the number of interviewees who drew a clear distinction between their view of American people (whom they admired) and American foreign policy - which is universally deplored here, and when you see its effect on these people's lives you can hardly wonder at that. An informative, enjoyable film that sadly probably won't reach the people who need to see it most.