Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Jackson Booth-Millard I always make an effort to try and watch all films that win big during Awards Season in most years, when it comes to documentaries I am perhaps not as up to date, nevertheless, I am glad I took the time to watch this one. Basically in December 2002, an Afghan peanut farmer named Dilawar, who gave up farming to become a taxi driver, he and three passengers were arrested by US military officials, accused of organising an attack on Camp Salerno. Dilawar, an innocent man, was held in extrajudicial detention and interrogated at the Parwan Detention Facility at Bagram Air Base. He spent several days being tortured and beaten by US military prison guards, including multiple attacks on his thighs, a standard technique viewed as "permissible" and non-life-threatening. Following these severe attacks, Dilawar died in prison, most likely caused by a blood clot due to his injuries, his official death certificate passed, with his body, to his family was marked "homicide". The film explores the background of increasingly sanctioned "torture" since the 9/11 attacks, questioning and examining contemporary democracy, and the methods of the US military to interrogate suspect terrorists. It turns out that the guards, soldiers and other staff members of these prisons have disgusting motives, there have been reported and photographed incidents of prisoners being severely beaten and humiliated, stripped naked, forced to masturbate, deliberately scared, including with loud noises, such as vicious dogs barking, and much more unbelievable things. It is also shocking that when these incidents have been reported to the authorities, and go as far as reaching government officials, including the President of the United States (then George W. Bush), they are dismissed as procedures sanctioned by both the White House and the Pentagon, so no justice was done for a significant amount of time. The conclusion of this film is that the murder of Dilawar was exposed by the New York Times, those who murdered him were prosecuted, the body was taken back to Afghanistan, and more strict rules on interrogation are being employed. When you watch this film, you are absolutely appalled by the lack of decency shown by the prison staff, many even posing for photographs during their gross actions, it really does show the horrors of the "war on terror", with interviews from detainees, politicians and soldiers who have experienced these incidents for themselves, a powerful and provocative documentary. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Good!

Lugo1989 Taxi to the Dark Side is a very difficult documentary to watch but I believe it is essential to see it nevertheless. It seems like the rumors about torture in Guantanamo Bay have always been around but when you see what was going on in such detail, it will make your blood run cold. This film is yet another proof in which we can see how corrupt and diabolical some politicians can be, I think it is honest to say that the ones shown in the film are borderline psychopaths. The fact that they have so much power is terrifiying and sad. Another sad thing is how untouchable they seem and people in lower ranks and postions always pay the price for their actions and are used as scapegoats.Be prepared for this one since it is anything but an easy watch. It is a very well made documentary that points out serious matters that the world should see. It will not leave you cold and it will make you think hard about human nature, morality etc. I believe it will have an especially strong effect on all American viewers since they lived under the government that allowed these atrocities. Here you can see all of their true colors.

sol- Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature, this Alex Gibney film probes into the use of torture by the US as part of their War on Terror. The title comes from the humble occupation of one Afghani who died at the hands of his US torturers, with the overhanging question being how many other innocents have also suffered. While the documentary comes off as incredibly one-sided, never mentioning useful information gained during torture and making it seem like every single person ever tortured by the US was innocent, it is still compelling stuff, exposing some scary systematic issues with the approach to torture taken by the US. At the film's most shocking, we see how some soldiers chose to take things "one step too far... have some fun and take some photos", with the fine line between torture and sadism highlighted. The individual soldiers are not demonised alone though, with the film often mentioning how much pressure was placed onto them to gain useful intelligence; it is almost no wonder that some took things so far. The film additionally looks at an intriguing range of torture processes, with a fascinating "sensory deprivation" method that many soldiers found more effective than physical pain. This is not the easiest film to watch with its candid insight to inhumanity in the face of incredible pressure, but it is thought-provoking stuff, biased as it may be.

bryanmillsfist There is much sanctimony being expressed in the reviews of this wonderful example of propaganda. This film expresses the false humanity of many today in the US and around the world. These people are outraged over torture, yet ignore the fact that war involves something far worse-- killing. War is death and destruction. Why people are so up in arms over torture when people are being torn to shreds by bombs, IEDS, and bullets is beyond my powers of comprehension. Only the false humanists know why they they think in such a logically flawed manner.The most criminal aspect of this film is at of the director and the speakers.They are criminals who are willing to sacrifice your family for their ideals. That is sickening.To be sure the death of the taxi cab driver was shameful and people should be held accountable. But when it comes to self- defense everything and anything should be considered. Anyone who knows American history knows that is our way. From the asymmetrical warfare waged by the Swamp Fox to Sherman's March to the Sea to Hiroshima, the American people have exhibited a willingness to wage merciless warfare in order to achieve our end. That is one of our values. If you don't like that then you can kick rocks. I'll never blame Bush for doing all he could to protect Americans. Is some of it nasty? Yeah, but as previously noted, war is a dirty business no matter who you are. Name a war and you will find it find with a great number of mind numbing brutality.This works as a piece of simpleminded moralistic propaganda. But as a serious piece of analysis it fails. The abject failure of the director and those who think like them to grasp the essence of war ultimately makes this and other films like it, fodder for bonfires.