One of the consequences of the ongoing U.S. occupation of Iraq has been the rising number of deserting American military personnel. This half-hour documentary follows 23-year-old Ryan Johnson, who—along with his wife Jen—escaped to Canada, where he is seeking refugee status. A film of this nature is obviously going to polarize audiences: some will sympathize with Johnson's refusal to participate in what he believes to be an illegal and immoral endeavor, while others will note that Johnson voluntarily joined the military and is now willfully disobeying orders. Deserter carefully examines the socioeconomic reasons that Johnson believes were responsible for his joining the military, but the filmmakers seem to freely accept his claims that he was told he would not be sent into combat when he signed up (some viewers may find this level of naiveté hard to believe). Johnson and his wife are an articulate and sympathetic couple, and even those who question their actions will find it hard to simply label them as traitors. DVD extras include a discussion with Democracy Now! radio host Amy Goodman and Johnson at the film's North American premiere. A solid addition to the growing genre of Iraq-related documentaries, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Deserter
(2008) 24 min. DVD: $14.95. Music Video Distributors (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 978-1-6048-6012-2. Volume 23, Issue 5
Deserter
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