2023 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
Director Charlie Sadoff dives deep into the history of military veterans and their role in domestic terrorist groups. He explores The Proud Boys, the Ku Klux Klan, and more–and he tries to figure out what makes these groups tick and what causes these military experts to seek out these groups and participate in such heinous acts. Against All Enemies is Sadoff’s deep dive into the history of America and its military veterans–and he’s sure to ruffle some feathers along the way.
It’s nearly impossible not to piss some viewers off with Against All Enemies. Sadoff certainly knows that he will aggravate viewers, and the very idea of this film will ostracize viewers and force them to question its validity. If you have any connection to the military in the United States, I promise you that Against All Enemies will be a struggle–and you will find it difficult to appreciate this film.
Against All Enemies is anti-military, often saying nothing but negative things about our military veterans and their journey after protecting us and our rights. It seems to be Sadoff’s mission to out the military and tell the world all that is wrong with it. Whether or not this is the case, I can’t be sure, as I’m not in the head of Sadoff or Writers Kenneth Harbaugh or Sebastian Junger–but it feels like this team is anti-military. It feels like they are against the military, veterans, and their journeys during and after their military careers. At no point can I wrap my head around this concept, and as a result I struggled to appreciate Against All Enemies.
The portion of the film that focuses on the Ku Klux Klan is one of the more interesting things that I’ve seen in a long time (and honestly it’s the only part of Against All Enemies that doesn’t suck). I love learning about history, learning about the things that have affected the world that we currently live in–but I struggle conducting my own research in this regard. Having someone lay out the facts allows me to better understand and appreciate the content, and that’s what Against All Enemies does here. Around the thirty-minute mark the film shifts very quickly to the infamous Ku Klux Klan–and all that viewers hear are facts. We aren’t made to think a certain way–but we are simply told the truth.
The majority of Against All Enemies seems to use footage and a series of unfortunate experiences to develop and promote a very specific narrative. Sadoff and his team create something so anti-military, so anti-American that I can’t understand how anyone will be able to appreciate what is being said and done throughout the course of this documentary. The reality is that this isn’t the only group of people that feel this way about our military–and it’s disheartening. Rarely do I let my own personal beliefs play a role in my review of a film–but it’s impossible for me to look at Against All Enemies and not get frustrated–especially when this group of people is trying so hard to denigrate individuals that have experienced things that we can only imagine. Against All Enemies doesn’t give viewers a chance to form their own opinion, but rather it forces some extremist views on its audience in a way hypocritical to its own beliefs.
Directed by Charlie Sadoff.
Written by Charlie Sadoff, Kenneth Harbough, & Sebastian Junger.
Starring Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Dr. Kathleen Belew, Ali Soufan, Kristofer Goldsmith, Stewart Rhodes, Eric "General E" Braden, etc.
⭐⭐/10
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