Day two of the 2024 Dialogues Documentary Film Festival brought me to WAR GAME which came the closest to playing like a straight fictional narrative, albeit with a largely improvised script.
WAR GAME is a ripped from the headlines film. After January 6, it was advised by a bipartisan panel that a repeat of those events be roleplayed by government officials in order to prevent it from happening again. WAR GAME is essentially that role playing scenario captured for film.
It’s not much of a leap to say that this is really a January 6 documentary being smuggled in as more of an entertainment. It’s also a documentary about the danger posed by white supremacists in the military, which is kind of the twist that raises the stakes of this scenario.
So, we have the basic gist of the scenario here. The film presents the roleplaying with a ticking six hour clock with the participants having to navigate this difficult scenario. Unlike a D&D session, no sign of Mountain Dew and Doritos in the film. Rather, lessons learned may just save democracy. Or not.
Of course, the thing that separates it from a more staid documentary, is that it’s essentially presented as a closed room drama with the President (former Montana Governor Steve Bullock) being the guy that has to make the final decisions. He’s surrounded by a bipartisan group of Politicians and there’s an opposing roleplaying faction that are clearly motivated to poke holes in dithering and inadequate responses. In general, it’s a tense, timely, and entertaining film that plays remarkably like a narrative.
It also has more than it’s share of times when you really wish they would drop the facade and dig into issues more than they are willing to. There are Republicans in the principal cast, that are clearly reluctant to weigh in on January 6, even though that is the impetus of it. Even moreso, they’re also extremely reluctant to weigh in on the scenario that they’re facing, except for the gamemakers themselves, who truly believe in the danger to democracy and want to do something about it. Even if it is to make the Politicians uncomfortable and have to face difficult choices.
Alas, it’s slick and entertaining, but I don’t really think it really sinks in to anyone participating. They may be thoughtful, but it’s like they’ve been playing roles for a long time and don’t care to break out of them. Even just to comment on what they think of the situation presented and the potential routes out. It’s the non-politicians that feel invested, and the politicians feel largely like empty suits just having a lark. It makes you wish for a more introspective cast. It’s slick and entertaining, but there’s really potential for so much more here.
The 2024 Dialogues Documentary Film Festival ran from September 26 to 29, 2024. Further information on the festival, and films that screened can be found at Milwaukee Film’s website.
