Worse Than War (2009 TV Movie) User Reviews

Looking beyond the Holocaust

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 25 November 2012]

I really appreciated this film, as it went well beyond just looking at the Holocaust. The mass-killing of various groups did NOT end with WWII but continues today throughout the world. This PBS film explores why--and doesn't stop with the simple answers we always hear. In other words, it's NOT a mass spontaneous uprising or religious feud that creates these killings but they are done for political reasons. So, there is a clear gain for killing off one group or another--such as to consolidate power through exploiting existing hatreds and distrusts. The film also explores what other parties should do. What should the UN do as well as developed nations such as the US? To get these answers, Daniel Goldhagen travels the world to confront or discuss genocide. It was fascinating when he actually got to talk to the ex-president Montt of Guatemala as well as a meeting with the ex-UN ambassador, Madeleine Albright. The bottom line is that the film clearly indicates that the civilized nations of the world MUST intervene, even militarily, if necessary--as the UN's purpose is not to prevent genocide but maintain the sovereignty of nations--even when they are evil and murder their own citizens. Overall, this is an excellent documentary--not only because of all the trouble it took to make it but because it really makes you think.

By the way, several years ago, I took a group of students to a nearby Holocaust museum. The mission of this organization in St. Petersburg, Florida was very much like this film--to not only focus on the Holocaust in Europe but to educate kids that such mass killings are continuing today and will for the foreseeable future. So, there is no one Holocaust but a long, long, long series of mass murders.

Everyone needs to watch.

[mastrait · 10/10 · 30 December 2018]

Not because this is in any way an enjoyable film, but because it is a film we all need to watch. I had to avert my eyes at times because it is graphic. However, I did force myself to listen and watch most of it, even though the truth made me sick.

We are nothing more than animals, but even animals never commit atrocities like this. This is something that will never leave us, hence we all need to actively oppose it.

Trump and his followers are capable of this, but not just those folks. We are ALL capable of this. Will humanity ever rise above these horrors? It surely will never be by religion, or ideology, then how? I wish I had an answer to that question.

The author seems to want to stop genocide, we easily look back and say, why didn't we intervene? What about the Palestinians? What about Gaza? The dead children and women? I find that telling, and shows his blind bias.

Not bad, but he leaves out the role of religion completely....

[papempo · 5/10 · 30 April 2012]

This is a really interesting movie, however he completely leaves out the role of religion in genocide. At one point the father mentions churches in a positive way, which is puzzling for me. The Jewish people been preached against (and killed because of it) by the Roman Catholic Church for around a thousand years. Hitler been blessed by the pope and he was extremely spiritual.

If you ever read parts of the Bible (mostly the old testament: Exodus, Chapter 34, verses 11-14) it PROMOTES genocide. To be able to commit these crimes holy books been used all over the world. When religious people claim that morals are originated from the God of the Bible, it gives them the opportunity to dehumanize others, treating themselves as chosen ones.

Otherwise it makes some interesting points, mostly about the human behavior, when normal people commit unbelievable crimes and when they remember they can't even themselves understand.