Ever since the 1980s, when a suicide bomber blew up up U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Baer has been trying to figure out who did it and, probably, why. This documentary is his journey into the cult of "martyrdom," looking at its origins in Iran and its spread through Lebanon, Israel, the Gaza Strip, and now virtually everywhere. I found the doc very informative, offering interviews with people only Baer could get an audience with - such as the thousands of prisoners in Israeli prisons and several key suicide bomber organizers. As the previous reviewer said, Baer has some real courage to be in some of these places, particularly Hezbollah controlled areas and Iran where people are shouting "death to America." It's also interesting to go inside of those countries to see for ourselves the kind of propaganda that's everywhere, such as a myriad of posters of suicided bombers. The doc raises several important questions, including how can countries that value their lives counter countries that don't? It's almost like the harikari pilots all over again. What's more, they feel glorified in death, and become instant heroes when they die. Parents happily sign authorization forms for them to become merchants of suicide. Watching it, you'll stare ahead with your mouth open in disbelief. In fact, it kind of reminds me of serial killers, who claim they killed more people than they did because of the prestige. Suicide bombing is a growing threat to everyone, and I think this film sheds a bit of much needed light on the subject. Keep up the good work Baer. Love to see more.
Review of The Cult of the Suicide Bomber
