Bad Voodoo's War

The Iraq war will be remembered as the best documented conflict in contemporary history. This PBS Frontline documentary performs a “virtual embed,” supplying cameras to soldiers in a National Guard unit, nicknamed the “Bad Voodoo” platoon in June 2007, when the surge was at its height. The soldiers were free to record their impressions and performance of duties, which mostly consist of providing “convoy security,” a bland term for nerve-wracking patrols, often conducted at night. Politics doesn't enter the picture here, although some soldiers express distrust of their Iraqi allies, question the value of their mission, and heap scorn on “lettuce and tomato” runs (convoys carrying little of military value). Bad Voodoo's War clearly conveys the soldiers' stress from keeping their eyes peeled while watching the backs of their buddies, no easy task given that every culvert and roadside car could conceal deadly IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Vividly portraying the sense of impending doom interwoven with extended periods of boredom and bursts of frantic activity, the documentary also incorporates some of the soldier's back stories (such as conflicts with wives and lovers). Unfortunately, the film ends before Bad Voodoo's tour of duty is completed, and even though the viewer is invited to continue the platoon's mission with updated blogs on the PBS website, the program itself still feels inconclusive and dramatically unsatisfying. Still, this otherwise solid documentary should be considered a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)