See it.

George Gittoes’ follow up to his 2004 doco ‘Soundtrack to War’. Screening in Dendy’s etc around the place, so if you’ve heard about it and are wondering if its worth seeing, it absolutely is.

Its hard to say too much without giving away major parts of the film (which just about every review and interview with George does, so be careful, but it doesn’t take anything away from the film), but essentially George goes to Miami to make a doco about the life of one of the soldiers and his brothers he met in Iraq. The soldier, Elliot, told George he felt safer in Iraq than he did in his housing project area of Miami, which he felt was a more dangerous war zone. After watching the film, you can see why.

My favourite movie of 2006 by far, and probably in my all time fav’s.

It will really affect you, and there’s so much to discuss coming out of it… anyone else seen it?

My review is up , if you want to have a read. Let me know what you think! :)

Excellent review Luke.

Couple of questions.

1. Would the doco be as watchable to people who can’t stand rap?

2. Also i found this comment intriguing

Despite having so little, the Lovett’s don’t lack for a local church or a passionate minister. The sad fact is faith alone will not save them from the war on their streets, or the desperation of the projects. Instead, they turn to rap. 

Can you explain further?

Jeremy Halcrow wrote

Would the doco be as watchable to people who can’t stand rap?

These people should repent of their ignorance.

Thanks Jeremy!

[quote author="Jeremy Halcrow"]1. Would the doco be as watchable to people who can’t stand rap?

Yeah absolutely, its more of a look at another culture and what the kids are expressing through the medium, rather than the medium itself. So if you find other cultures fascinating, you would find Rampage fascinating for that reason alone, I would think. That said these are tough kids from the ghetto, so its not for the easily offended!

2. Also i found this comment intriguing

Despite having so little, the Lovett’s don’t lack for a local church or a passionate minister. The sad fact is faith alone will not save them from the war on their streets, or the desperation of the projects. Instead, they turn to rap. 

Can you explain further?

One of the interesting aspects to the film is the way the local church features - the minister is interviewed and there are a couple of scenes (including one extremely powerful one) in the church itself. Sometimes I think we wonder what would we do, as a church, in such dreadful social situations? The interesting thing about Rampage is that we get to see an extremely difficult social situation with a church.

Its certainly not the kind of church we would be familiar with, and from what you see in the film it has an important role to play, no doubt, but like I said the sad fact is the church can’t save them from problems they face - both the imminent, day-to-day danger and cycles of poverty and violence. The church, as it appears in the film, is just another part of a much bigger social picture. That was my impression, anyway!