Drone

Drone is a gripping and thought-provoking 2014 documentary directed by acclaimed Norwegian film director Tonje Hessen Schei. The movie delves into the complex world of warfare technology, specifically focused around the critical and ethically challenging universe of drone warfare. The film boasts an impressive set of contributors, including ex-Drone Operator for the American Airforce, Brandon Bryant, a Pakistani child victim of drone strikes, Zubair Rehman, and former legal advisor to President Obama, John Bellinger III. Through their varying perspectives, the movie explores the truth behind one of the most controversial military warfare methods of our time.

Seamlessly blending expert interviews, archival footage, and chilling firsthand accounts, director Tonje Hessen Schei uncovers a riveting narrative that paints a stark, unflinching look at the reality of modern warfare, not from the battlefield per se but through the lenses of the machines hovering above it. In this hard-hitting documentary, she unmasks the human impact and the often unspoken costs on both sides of the drone technology.

Reflecting through the eyes of Brandon Bryant, a former United States Air Force sensor operator for one of those unmanned spies, "Drone" questions the ethical boundaries of a war fought from hidden corners of the world, thousands of miles away from the targets. Bryant's landing in a career that involves tracking and killing insurgents in Afghanistan and elsewhere through a computer screen in the Nevada desert gives viewers a distinctive and personal angle on drone operations. His striking candor catalyzes a soul-searching dialogue on the nature of warfare, guilt, and morality in the age of technology.

On the other side, the film introduces Zubair Rehman, a Pakistani youth who survived a drone attack responding to collateral statisticians. His emotional tale magnifies the devastating consequences drone strikes have on innocent civilians in Pakistan and other nations under constant aerial surveillance. Through Zubair's experience, the documentary challenges the official narratives on the precision of drone strikes, underlining the pain, terror, and resentment these strikes spawn on the ground level.

John Bellinger III, a former legal advisor to President Obama and State Department Legal Advisor under the Bush administration, provides viewers with a unique insight into the legal and political aspects of drone warfare. Incorporating his viewpoint, the documentary acknowledges and grapples with the hard international and domestic legal issues posed by drone strikes. It contemplates how these strikes are redefining the principles of warfare and the blurry lines separating war criminals from heroes in this modern landscape.

Beyond the central characters, the film offers explosive and contentious insights into the rapidly growing industry of drone technology-making, unveiling the network of gamers, engineers, and world leaders behind it. It poses unsettling questions about the morality of turning warfare into a game and reflects on the ominous implications of desensitizing its operators.

Moving at the pulse of unfolding global issues and monumental shifts in warfare tactics, "Drone" doesn't shy away from the tough questions. Indeed, it earnestly exposes a covert CIA war and brings to light the plight of people living under drones, as well as those responsible for piloting them.

With its crisp production, gritty storytelling, and penetrating examination of its topic, "Drone" is a chilling wakeup call about the importance of transparency, accountability, and international law in a world increasingly governed by technology. This film is a poignant documentary that forces viewers to face the unsettling reality of contemporary warfare, where lines blur between worlds, as remote pilots in Nevada execute missions in Pakistan.

In conclusion, "Drone" does a masterful job of sparking a global conversation about the grim face of contemporary warfare. Through its powerful narrative and thought-provoking testimonies, it instigates an engaging discourse about ethicality, morality, the true cost of drone warfare, and the humanity stuck in between. The film is an absolute must-watch for anyone interested in modern warfare, technology, politics, or ethics.