The Panama Deception

Early in Luis Murillo book, The Noriega Mess, he cites this movie as one of his motivations for putting together a thorough and heavily-annotated record that leaves no doubt about the modern history of Panama. He finishes it by addressing each of the theories in this movie and his take on each. His book has it's flaws, but he announces his bias at the beginning and then lays out everything that is in the public record. This movie takes a couple facts, drives off a cliff, and let's the producers bias take it under. There is plenty to be angry about with respect to US involvement in Latin America, but liberals don't do themselves any favors when they give movies like this credibility. Comparing it to documentaries that are being made now (Restrepo, Gunners Palace), the Academy should feel embarassed they gave this movie attention, never mind an award. If the one thing that can be said about this movie is that it led to Murillo's book, then it was worth it, but that doesn't mean it's worth your time.

I watched this movie while burning 1,000 calories at the gym. I think it is excellent and -- like Manufacturing Consent -- shows the extent to which Americans are lied to by their own government and how gullible they/we are, in part (I suppose) to the ridiculously inadequate educational system here in the US.

The government has been run by corporations and banks since the early 1900's. This movie does an incredible job showing just one of the many ways that the US Military has been used by these interests to gain the control that they want. Please wake up American's and let's return the USA to a Republic of the People, not Empire America run by the global elite. Great movie! Highly recommend!

Deception by the US government. What do ya know. Good facts. Worth a watch to those who like to know more about shady government dealings.

I'm not going to say that what happened in Panama was legal or anything, but if you're going to make an argument about that action, you gotta have some solid evidence to back it up. Example: simply showing that the mainstream US media portrayed the invasion as a liberation, and that some Panamanian newspapers claimed otherwise--essentially a 'he said-she said' argument--isn't enough to convince me. Likewise, when you've got one Panamanian man, surrounded by a crowd of maybe a hundred others who are angry and complaining to US troops, doesn't show me that potentially hundreds of thousands' rights have been violated. Anyone could easily make the opposing argument using the same evidence. Last, I don't think that all films need exorbitant budgets, but the editing, narration, effects--pretty much everything except the original archival footage--was a little like watching some kid's high school history class extra credit project.

Eye opener that's disturbingly accurate in its predictions. Cheney haunts this film, a future horror spectre~ terrifying... And I'm loving my Bewitched gal, the late Elizabeth Montgomery.

I am from Central America, there is always two sides to a story, the news in US don't tell you both sides. WATCH the movie and be the judge your self. There is people out of the united states that are starving, homeless and suffering.......WAR is profitable (to few that would be the stockholders) WATCH THIS MOVIE, but be prepared to see unpleasant scenes, but scenes that were real..It is sad that people go through this...don't ignore it. Just think/Imagine what it would be like for you if in the middle of the night a bigger more powerful country attacked in your home town. The point of my review is the movie is GOOD information. keep that movie in mind when you watch the news about today's conflicts.

This movie is nothing but an America bashing rant disguised as jornualism. The movie's central thesis. That the US Invaded Panama in order to destroy the PDF, and prevent the transfer of the Panama Canal to Panama has already been discredited. Hello! we transfered the Canal in 1999 and pulled out all US forces. I can personally vouch since I was stationed In Panama in 1999 and participated in the pull out. Plus my wife is Panamanian and has nothing but praise for the US for ousting Noriega. She not as the film claims one of the "rich, white" Panamanians that supported the invasion. This movie is a total waste of time, and film. If your looking for a true historical perspective, your better off using Wikipedia.

This is the textbook definition of "abuse of power." Bush invaded Panama for personal reasons. It was not an invasion to apprehend a drug dealing dictator and free the people of Panama. It was an invasion designed to eliminate Bush's competition and the lone man standing in his way of ruling the drug trade in the western the hemisphere.

Really easy to judge and give your opinion by only watching a documentary. Try to live in Panama in those years and then I will hear a different story from both you guys. That was not an invasion but a liberation. Very poor documentary with only one side of the story. Is really easy to talk about something when you havent live it in your own skin.