Standard Operating Procedure

How much of a story can be told by looking at a photograph? What is considered fact and proof? Is seeing truly believing? The documentary film Standard Operating Procedure breaks apart these questions by delving into the lives of soldiers stationed at Abu Ghraib prison, in Iraq. Academy Award winning director Errol Morris used photographs and stories of American soldiers to depict the stained and corrupt system within the interrogation centers in the Middle East. We all remember the horrific photos that leaked into the media, and as you may anticipate from the brief synopsis, the documentary is far from a romantic comedy. Ironically, the film opens with a photograph of a golden sunset in Iraq, which stands in stark contrast to the rest of the film’s morbid and disturbing tone. Within the first ten minutes my weak stomach got the best of me, and I had no choice but to direct my eyes to the dim lights positioned on the walls of the theater.

Photographs taken by the American soldiers exemplify the unnecessary “standard operating procedures” that include humiliation, forced stress positions (like the photograph of a man forced to stand on a bucket of water with wires attached to his hands), and sexual harassment. While there are re-enactments by actors to underscore the importance of the stories being told by the soldiers, the reality of the documentary is mind-numbing. I was surprised to find most of the American soldiers interviewed in the documentary failed to show much emotion when they described their time at Abu Ghraib. It was as if the lives they lived in Iraq never existed. They illustrated their melancholic experiences with as much grandeur as a trip to the grocery store. In fact, out of the 12 soldiers interviewed, only one seemed to show any signs of distress.

As the film continued, constant exposure to the pictures and stories caused me to feel the same numbness the soldiers exuded, stripping me of any emotion I may have come in with. Not only did I become deadened by the images, but I actually started to understand where these soldiers’ “survival tactics” came from as a technique to cope with what they were going through. Disturbing images of the humiliating stress positions of the Iraqi prisoners were coupled with the smiling faces and thumbs-up of American soldiers as if they were posing for a picture with Chuck E. Cheese. Many of the soldiers defended this by claiming it was their way of “doing what they were told,” so they could continue to photograph.

While the gruesome and grotesque picture may seem a turn-off, however, the film is certainly worth seeing. It creates an understanding of the power of stories through film, especially where conclusions and assumptions can very quickly be made without knowing the truth. Although it may feel uncomfortable and gut wrenching at times, this documentary is an important exposé on the war. The 118-minute film leaves you with some unanswered questions, but like the photographs, the documentary is up for some interpretation from the audience.

Errol Morris will visit the Twin Cities on April 15th for a premiere screening and conversation at the Walker Art Center. Exclusive Twin Cities engagement opens Friday, May 23rd at Landmark’s Lagoon Cinema.