Shock and Awe (2017)
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A group of journalists investigates the truth behind the Bush Administration's motives for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The story
The film centers on Knight Ridder reporters Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel along with Editor-in-Chief John Walcott and legendary war correspondent Joe Galloway as they investigate the U.S. government's claims of Iraq stockpiling weapons of mass destruction following the 9/11 attacks. While most news agencies accept the Bush Administration's rationale for military action against Saddam Hussein, the Knight Ridder team, at the insistence of Walcott and Galloway, uncovers mounting evidence suggesting the administration's motives may be deceptive and that such weapons do not exist. The story follows the reporters' pursuit of the truth amid a patriotic media landscape.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film opens with a paralyzed Iraq War veteran testifying before Congress about his injuries in the war. The film centers on Knight Ridder reporters Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel along with Editor-in-Chief John Walcott and legendary war correspondent Joe Galloway as they investigate the U.S. government's claims of Iraq stockpiling weapons of mass destruction following the 9/11 attacks. While most news agencies accept the Bush Administration's rationale for military action against Saddam Hussein, the Knight Ridder team, at the insistence of Walcott and Galloway, uncovers mounting evidence suggesting the administration's motives may be deceptive and that such weapons do not exist. The story follows the reporters' pursuit of the truth amid a patriotic media landscape, highlighting their efforts to challenge the prevailing narrative. Throughout, the reporters navigate Washington and gather information from various insiders, often anonymously, to expose the controversy surrounding the Iraq war buildup.
- First release year
- 2017
- Runtime (minutes)
- 90
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Rob Reiner
- Writers
- Joey Hartstone · writer
- Cast and characters
- Woody Harrelson; James Marsden; Rob Reiner; Jessica Biel; Milla Jovovich; Tommy Lee Jones
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- journalism; war; truth; government deception
- Tone and mood
- serious; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- based on true story; biographical; political drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on a true story
- Reception
- The film was a box office bomb and received mixed to negative critical reviews, described as derivative and mechanically paced.
- Production trivia
- The film features an interview with Dick Cheney on Meet the Press.; The film was shot in Louisiana and Washington, D.C.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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