The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002)
Diverse Productions

Description

Part contemporary investigation and part historical inquiry, documentary follows the quest of one journalist in search of justice. The film focuses on Christopher Hitchens' charges against Henry Kissinger as a war criminal - allegations documented in Hitchens' book of the same title - based on his role in countries such as Cambodia, Chile, and Indonesia. Kissinger's story raises profound questions about American foreign policy and highlights a new era of human rights.

Collected reviews and ratings

8.8 TV Guide | Ken Fox

Filmmakers Alex Gibney and Eugene Jarecki clearly and cogently present the case against Kissinger and the evidence — much gleaned from recently declassified official documents — that supports it. The accusations are disturbing, to say the least.
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8.0 Los Angeles Times | Manohla Dargis

Deploying a seamless blend of talking-head interviews, trenchant archival photographs and newsreels, topped off by a sheaf of newly declassified U.S. government documents, Gibney and Jarecki are smart enough to let the evidence and experts do the talking.
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8.0 filmcritic.com | Matt Langdon

You may feel compelled to watch the film twice or pick up a book on the subject. Two good reasons to make this a must see film.
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7.5 Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

''The Trials of Henry Kissinger,'' in tossing around words like ''genocide'' and ''war criminal,'' offers up a condemnation that is blanket yet free-floatingly vague in its wrath, its indiscriminate lumping together of realpolitik, corruption, and insinuations of illegality.
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7.5 Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

It feels somehow as if the filmmakers have chosen just the words they want, and the context be damned; sophisticated media-watchers will note the editing tricks and suspect the film's motives.
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7.0 New York Times | Elvis Mitchell

The feverish position paper called ''The Trials of Henry Kissinger,'' may not be a breakthrough in filmmaking, but it is unwavering and arresting.
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6.0 Variety | Ronnie Scheib

Documentarians could go to school on pic's clarity of exposition and plasticity of editing. Camera, sound and all tech credits are suitably no-nonsense, while music selections provide unexpected period coloration.
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