The Invisible War (2012) – ★★★★

Director: Kirby Dick
Writers: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering

The Invisible War is a very well made documentary showcasing testimonies of men and women who were victims of sexual-assault in the military. The facts that are presented are not only shocking, but infuriating. The interviews are incredibly heart-wrenching. This is a documentary that might just change the way the military handles cases of sexual-assault, which is why it is one of the best documentaries of 2012.


80% of the documentary is basically testimonials, with the other 20% being hard-hitting information and facts. Each man and woman that are victims of sexual-assault tell us about their experiences with the process of reporting the crime, how the crime changed their lives detrimentally, and how the heads of their military sector covered up the assault. There is a particular focus on one woman (seen in the photo above), who has had major jaw and bone damage since being raped. This aspect of the film shows how there is little help for those recovering from their traumatic experience, only medication.

There is one fault with the film, and it’s a little one. I didn’t like the fact that most of the documentary was consumed by interviews. They were rivetting, and heavily affected me. However, documentaries are at their best when they have the facts and figures to back-up their case. Although there were some examples of this, it was weighted down by the sheer amount of time spent on one particular story.

It’s an eye opener, that’s for sure. This is a subject that I’d never even given a thought to before. I lived in ignorance of the fact that these atrocities are inflicted on many female recruits. The Invisible War addresses the topic in an interesting and emotional way, which is why it is nominated for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards.