HBO has brought us a great film here. Michael Keaton plays CNN producer Bob Weiner in this exciting tale of drama, war, and the role the media plays in current affairs. The film is about the events leading up to, and culminating in the 1991 Gulf War. We see the invasion of Kuwait months before the allied bombing raids, and we end after the first night of bombing...the movie follows the events of this time period, which include that invasion of Kuwait, the holding of American and British hostages in Iraq, CNN's rise on the media scene, becoming a very powerful international news organization thanks to their exclusive reporting from Iraq. Keaton does a very nice job here, which is what you expect from a great actor like himself...Carter, who plays the other CNN producer is very good as well, this being the first movie I have seen her in.
Nice filmmaking here...I'm not sure where it was filmed, but it sure looked like Baghdad to me...and the casting is very well all around- these guys looked so much like shaw, arnett, and to a lesser degree John Holloman- it was almost eerie. You felt like you were right in the room with these guys as they talked to Atlanta over the four wire radio they had access to (which is what helped them report the story from Iraq when no one else could.) There are some really good special effects as well, the anti aircraft fire lighting up the sky was spectacular, and once again- it helped give the feeling that you were right in the thick of things.
