TAKING LIBERTIES
***1/2 out of *****

Reviewed by Juan Incognito  

Genre
Documentary
Politics

2007
Writer/director – Chris Atkins
Narrators – Ashley Jensen, David Morrissey

Taking Liberties promotes itself in reference to Fahrenheit 911, and as such firmly declares before one hands over the ticket price that this will be a documentary with a message and a clear position.  Now while I am not very comfortable with documentaries that clearly advocate a position it is the fashion, and if they are open about that position then at least the viewer can take that into account when forming an opinion. Besides of which, what monster could be against civil rights?

This has to be one of the more structured documentaries I have seen, which is a good thing, given the emotive topic, it would be too easy for it to degenerate into a confusing mess. This perhaps could be because the film appears to be based on a book of the same name, released slightly before the movie, and we all know books beat movies right? A list of basic civil and political rights is set out at the start of the film, and each of them is investigated in a linear order, with constant referencing back to the list. While there are some moments when the film goes slightly off course, it always is brought back by the need to visit the next right on the list. So just in case you had forgotten, this is a film with a message.

But this is no dry discussion of international human rights legislation, much as I would enjoy that, no, this is also about real people. Each of the explanatory points is linked to people, places and events. The nonsense of a bus of protesters being forced to turn back, the occupants restrained from leaving the bus has to be seen to be believed. An old man and a young stranger bundled out of a Labour party conference for heckling. It all takes on a surreal quality after a while. The same people, prosecuted again and again for things that should be allowed because they embarrass their government, or might do.

Taking Liberties, in addition to the core civil rights motif, focused intensely upon the War on Terror/Invasion of Iraq, nearly all the examples used refer back to these events. It is clear that the documentary makers, and their subjects are very angry about the events, and Britain’s involvement. Given the popularity of the Anti War position it makes sense to play this up, although it is possible that the civil rights message might get swamped by those who are less anti war/Blair, if indeed such people still exist in Britain today. An argument could be made that the two issues cannot be separated, however I would have preferred less focus on the war. Perhaps looking more at the abuses of the terror legislation against ordinary criminals? Anyone can make a film attacking the Iraq war and it will do well, but to make a civil rights film in Britain seems like a harder sell.

Generally I enjoyed Taking Liberties, it delivered a much needed report on the erosion of civil liberties in the UK during the Labour government, at a timely moment as well. With Blair leaving office this month, this film should go some way to ensuring that all the valedictory articles and events will be tempered with an accurate record of some of the bad things he presided over and led. For this, the few detracting points, like the occasional use of a fake posh accent, are easily looked over. Look out for this film over the coming months.

Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)