South of the Border

South of the Border (2009)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Director Oliver Stone certainly isn't shy when it comes to controversial subjects but at the same time I'm really not sure he's the one you'd want to deliver a documentary. In this film he travels to five countries in order to tell the American people that the media is evil, George Bush is nothing more than Hitler and that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is one of the greatest men on the planet. Look, I don't know how much truth is in this film and let's pretend that every second in the 78-minute running time is nothing but the truth. That's fine but I have a hard time believing anything here because Stone clearly didn't set out to make a documentary but instead he wanted to give his political point of view without any other opinions coming in. I was a little surprised by the short running time but I guess that should be expected because we never hear from the "other side" and instead we just hear from the main guys as they tell us why they're so great and why the American media wants to paint them as monsters. Again, I'm perfectly fine in someone telling me that these guys are angels but at the same time I want to hear from those who are trying to paint a different picture. Stone clearly wants this film to be a love story to Chavez, Luis Inacio Lula de Silva, Evo Morales, Fernando Lugo and Rafael Correa. He interviews all of these people and they tell us all the great things they've done and inform us (again) that the American media has them all wrong. The film spends plenty of time telling us why Bush is evil and we hear why the American people are simply being fed lies and are too stupid to figure anything out on their own. SOUTH OF THE BORDER is a decent movie and I must admit I had a good time watching Stone interview these people. Again, perhaps everything said here is true but I still want to hear from the other side. I also have a hard time with any documentary that tries to show the subjects to be "down to Earth" by having them do childish things. This includes a scene where Stone directs Chavez to ride a bike like a kid and another scene where he plays soccer.

The vast majority of North Americans know nothing or very little of what happens in South America. When our media is not concerned with "news" regarding Tiger Woods' latest romantic conquest or graphic details of some sick murder they give us some "real" international news. These international news help us decide - actually make us decide - who the good guys and who the bad guys are. Media can be "subtle" for the more "sophisticated" among us or simply brainwashing drivel of Fox news nature. In any case it more dis-informs than informs. In this film, Oliver Stone opens our eyes to what really happens in South America - their (many) problems their attempts to solutions their changes. If Fox News and The CNN have not brainwashed you completely and irreversibly, you've got to see this film.

Here we have a completely lopsided documentary starring Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales, and of course Oliver Stone as the on-camera host. It was nice to see Oliver sitting and talking to the all the major players of South America and Cuba. But so what? Stone implies that because Fox News is a completely transparent propaganda machine that Hugo is not a dictator but a misunderstood hero of the continuing Bolivarian and communist revolutions. At least he is right about Fox news. He seems to get almost every other fact about Chavez and Morales wrong. To make Chavez shine like a new penny, Stone includes interviews with Christina and Lula. Pure farce.

I was hoping to learn something about Chavez and Venezuela, something that might change my opinion. I wanted to learn about the irrevocable changes to the political system there. But what I got was a pathetic excuse for Stone to schmooze with various heads of states as he toured South America as the other kind of American.

This is a terrible, self-serving documentary that has no place in an intelligent discussion of Chavez. There is no journalism here, no fairness, and nothing to learn. Just a puzzle and perhaps the end of a career for Stone.

I am from Venezuela and you this movie is the same attempt to paint a total disaster as utopian paradise. It is a blatant attempt to twist the truth and hide whats really happening. It is equivalent to what the Nazi propaganda machine spewed out in the 30s and what North Korea attempts to do in this day and age. Its political trash and should be catalogued as such.

This is a proof that (almost) every man has a price. I am a big fan of most of Oliver Stone's movies. Solid, strong always with something interesting to tell, always looking for the truth... well almost, here Mr.Stone might sold his soul to 'Emperor' Chavez, by celebrating all his speech and not dancing with wolves, but dancing with other puppets to honor Chavez. Here only President Lula and President Kirchner save the day and their dignity by advising Chavez, and Stone himself to put some limits. A pamphlet made to satisfy everyone who hates Fox News & Cia. ... I also dislike them, but why using their same type of dark strategies, lies and misleading? Today Venezuela, Bolivia and others we are still struggling with a fake democracy. That's the best proof to see Mr.Stone was/is blinded with the epiphany. Maybe that's way 90% of the documentary is presenting everything as truth and nothing, but the truth. Where everyone who disagree with his Emperor is a bloody capitalist. Even myself I'm might be getting in trouble for submitting this, but that's what they want from us, to be afraid, to live afraid... yes, the same way the Bush's want(ed) the world to be and control it. If Mr. Stone truly believe on his other films, about freedom and democracy, at least he should be ashamed of this one (and don't keep the change).