Movie Review: "South of the Border"

"South Of The Border" is a documentary from filmmaker Oliver Stone. It follows him as he visits countries in South America who have banded together in what they deem a political revolution. The movie spends a great deal of time examining Hugo Chavez of Venezuela specifically and how the United States and the American media have wrongfully portrayed the man as a dictator.

Movies such as "South Of The Border" can be dangerous, though at the same time they can be easily swept under the rug. Oliver Stone is not going to win over many hard right Bible thumpers by making a documentary where he chews coca leaves with foreign leaders in countries where we are taught mass amounts of illegal drugs are cultivated. And it is a movie, so one cannot just take it all as fact against its opposition. If the US government is corrupt and evil then one must believe the South American governments have their faults as well. However, "South of The Border" makes the arguments and the reality of the political situation between our country and the southern counties very interesting.

Hugo Chavez is portrayed as a revolutionary and in a very positive light. As you listen to him speak you cannot help, but buy into the whole image. You can easily believe that the Bush administration and American media have over-demonized the man. The label of "dictator" does seem to be strongly misplaced. However, before you decide to revolt against the United States government and jump on a ship headed for South America, remember you are in the hands of an entertainer with Oliver Stone. It is safe to say you can shoot your television though. Go ahead and blow the television set right up next time Fox news or any news for that matter comes on telling you what the world is about and what is going on, because it is proven time and time again that our media machine spools out fiction more often than not. Our perception of the world at large is grossly perverted by our intake of news programs. "South Of The Border" helps show this to an enraging degree.

After watching the movie, I came away with hope that our own leaders will be open to talking with ALL world leaders. If someone is deemed a "bad guy" there is no shame in having discussions with them, there is no other way to really seek world peace, because like it or not they are in the sandbox with us. Of course, you can go blow them out of the sandbox ala Saddam Hussein, but at what point are we the root cause of worldly violence? Also, I am not saying we should never take action in the world and just try to talk everything out with unreasonable men, I am pro action in many cases. I am just saying playing the silent game with people like Hugo Chavez is silly and I commend Obama for meeting with the man.

"South Of The Border" is a very interesting movie and well worth watching. Even if you do not side with the perspective shown to you by Oliver Stone, it will encourage your thought process and potentially open your mind to the bigger picture that is the world stage of politics and existence.