One would be hard-pressed to imagine a greater contrast between the two. The first one was basically a big publicity spot for the US and UK armed forces, full of stock footage, a tantalizingly stupid soundtrack and nothing but praise for the developers of the new multi-role fighters. And it’s going to be a two-parter. Duh.
The second one was far more serious in tone, and was actually very craftily made. The usage of music was perhaps a bit over the top too, as the material itself provided plenty of drama (over 150 people died there). However, the programme did have one major fault: it was completely ahistorical.
I understand the maker’s decision to concentrate on only the minutiae, because the material – video shot by the terrorists, the outside TV cameras and later interviews with survivors – was outstanding. But there was not one mention of why 41 Chechens had decided they were ready to kill hundreds of people, including themselves.
The need for contextualization came clear by the reaction of my flatmate Owen. He hadn’t followed the story when it unfolded and had even less idea about the Chechen-Russian war. In a peculiar way this reminded me of Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down which too presented a tragic struggle without any context.
Well, that and it was stupendously one-sided. And not truthful. But you get the gist of what I’m saying, right?
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