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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Trials of Henry Kissinger, The

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Trials of Henry Kissinger, The reviews
72
9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 4 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Documentary

Written by: Alex Gibney

Directed by: Eugene Jarecki

Release Date:
Theatrical: September 25, 2002
DVD: August 19, 2003

Running Time: 80 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: Not Rated

Starring Brian Cox (narrator), Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Christopher Hitchens, and Lyndon Johnson

Is Henry Kissinger -- Nobel Laureate and the most famous diplomat of his generation -- also a war criminal? Provoked by the Christopher Hitchens's book, filmmakers Jarecki and Gibney have constructed a movie which is both brilliant legal brief and chilling psychodrama. (Film Forum)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Pungent, opinionated, outspoken.

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100

San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham

Haunting music, the seriousness of the allegations and riveting interviews with Alexander Haig, Christopher Hitchens (whose book inspired the film) and others give "Kissinger" extra drama and urgency.

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90

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Makes compelling, provocative and prescient viewing. You can draw your own conclusions.

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88

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

In ''Trials,'' Hitchens is almost endearing, stalking Kissinger from one event to the next like a bleary-eyed Michael Moore.

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88

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

The Trials of Henry Kissinger serves as both a prosecution brief on the above charges and an unauthorized biography.

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88

Miami Herald Marta Barber

Puts you on edge about what goes on behind the closed doors of the White House. Even if the case against Kissinger is not fully convincing, the documentary keeps you glued to your seat and thinking long after you've left the theater.

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88

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

The movie never undercuts his brilliance and his unexpected charisma. No matter how high his degree of malevolence, he cuts a bigger figure after you see the movie than he did before.

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80

Los Angeles Times Manohla Dargis

Bluntly effective.

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78

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

The film is sufficiently methodical and well-researched to walk the walk behind its controversial premise. More to the point, it's terribly involving, intriguing enough to hook documentary-shy viewers.

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75

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Fascinating to watch as a portrait of political celebrity and ego.

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75

Chicago Tribune Allison Benedikt

While the filmmaking is standard documentary fare and the approach overtly biased, the narration, with tales of intelligence intrigue and ruthless foreign policy, is compelling and convincing.

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75

New York Post Jonathan Foreman

This brisk, British-American co-production is one of the better political/historical documentaries to come out in some time.

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70

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

Damning legal brief against the former secretary of state.

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70

Variety Ronnie Scheib

A chilling history lesson in realpolitik.

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70

TV Guide Ken Fox

The case is a convincing one, and should give anyone with a conscience reason to pause.

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70

The New York Times A.O. Scott

A muckraking effort that will probably play best to the converted.

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70

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

Provides a valuable refresher course in our less-acknowledged methods of meddling in the affairs of other countries.

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70

The New Yorker David Denby

The movie feels not only like a trial but like a trial in absentia. [7 Oct 2002, p. 108]

67

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Watching this film, one is left with the inescapable conclusion that Hitchens' obsession with Kissinger is, at bottom, a sophisticated flower child's desire to purge the world of the tooth and claw of human power. The movie isn't, finally, an argument. It's a long angry ''Boo!''

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60

Dallas Observer Andy Klein

Two minor drawbacks: Onscreen IDs of speakers are sometimes omitted. And Kissinger's crimes seem almost paltry in comparison to current American policies.

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50

The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray

On the whole, the filmmakers hold too much to the text, and too often employ the smugly knowing, self-righteous tone typical of British telejournalism.

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50

Village Voice J. Hoberman

Circumspect documentary.

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50

LA Weekly John Powers

To explore seriously the question of Kissinger's crimes wouldn't merely take hours, it would require the patient, unblinking vision of a Frederick Wiseman or Marcel Ophuls. Gibney and Jarecki just want to string the bastard up.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

David M. gave it a 10:
V good documentary.

Rick J. G. gave it a 10:
A well documented, and much deserved, roast of the former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. My favorite moment comes during an interview with Kissinger defender Alexander Haig. When asked if kidnapping is a crime, Haig said "It depends on your objectives." Haig was being asked about the attempted kidnapping and assassination of Chilean General Rene Schneider. In other words, if the objective is just and good, committing crimes to achieve them is all right. An amazing moment of candor from Haig.

Burford B. gave it a 9:
Filmwise, it's marginal, but this is one of the rare cases that story supercedes style. Kissinger is one of the most despicable people in history.

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