"Taxi to the Dark Side" an Effective Look at what 'American Justice' has Become

“One by one the terrorists are learning the meaning of American justice.”
-George W. Bush, 2003 State of the Union Address

Newly inaugurated President Barrack Obama’s executive orders to close the Guantanamo Bay Corrections Facility has rekindled a debate regarding the meaning of “American justice” that former President Bush was referring to in 2003. Since its inception following the September 11th terrorist attacks, the “War on Terror” has led to a transformation of certain aspects of the American justice system that many believe defies the very ideals our forefathers strived for. Alex Gibney’s Academy Award winning “Taxi to the Dark Side” is a thorough investigation of this evolution of “American justice.”

Based around the story of an innocent Afghani taxi driver who was tortured and murdered while in United States’ custody, “Taxi to the Dark Side” delves deeper into the underlying issue, becoming a comprehensive study of the United State’s torturous interrogation techniques of the past fifty years.

Gibney does an admirable job in his attempt to examine every facet of the subject. From explanations of the torture techniques, inside looks at facilities, insightful interviews and an effective exploration of the politics behind it all, “Taxi to the Dark Side” gives the audience an in depth glimpse of the occurrences prompting President Obama’s first set of executive orders. Although not always pleasant to the eyes, heart or patriotic spirit, “Taxi to the Dark Side” is a must see documentary.

“Taxi to the Dark Side” incorporates a multitude of interviews from seemingly every slant of the issue including the implicated soldiers, families of the victims, Washington insiders, experts within the psychiatric field and even the lawyers of the detainees. The interviews with Washington big shots, such as Senator Carl Levin, make this documentary a legitimate, journalistic exploration of the issue while an interview with the family of the victim allows it to touch the audience emotionally.

Gibney skillfully interchanges video clips from speeches and news programs to compliment the diverse array of interviews and give even further perspective. For instance, he shows Vice President Dick Cheney on “Meet the Press” advocating the United States to get “mean, dirty and nasty” while glorifying the work of the United States on the “darker side of intelligence.”

Both the cinematography and soundtrack in “Taxi to the Dark Side” are outstanding for a documentary of this nature. From the clean transitions to the “shock of capture” scene, the cinematography offers a visually appealing break from the often times difficult to watch footage.
The soundtrack’s somber tone did an exceptional job at adding to an already solemn mood.

“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a thorough investigation of a very significant subject that blends information, media and cinema in a way that encapsulates elements of both journalism and art. With President Obama’s recent executive orders, its relevance cannot be understated, but as long as there is war in this world and detainees in these wars, “Taxi to the Dark Side” will remain a valuable American documentary.