Grade: B-
Darfur is becoming one of the most memorable tragedies of our time. The global community remains steadily inactive as non-Arab civilians of Sudan are massacred. Unfortunately, like all tragedies, enterprising individuals recognize that they can be exploited and turned into award-winning documentaries. "The Devil Came on Horseback," which opens at the Avalon Theater tomorrow, is an accurate representation of the terrible crisis in Darfur, but, ultimately, it does not stand out from the teeming masses of documentaries about the region. The film chronicles the journey of former U.S. Marine Capt. Brian Steidle as he travels to Sudan to explore the nature of the Darfur crisis. His status as an official military observer allows him to explore parts of the country inaccessible to journalists. Steidle is therefore able to illustrate the war with the most gruesome detail possible. Steidle's story is saddening and gritty. Audiences walk with him as civilians of Darfur risk their lives to tell their horrific stories. Steidle sets no boundaries as he depicts the stark reality of the Darfur crisis, exposing viewers to everything from dead bodies strewn in the desert to torrents of hopeless refugees. Steidle genuinely reaches out to the audience, showing how desperate the people of Darfur are and how sincerely he wants others to help out. The problem, however, is that so many mediums have covered the Darfur genocide. Books, films and essays all seem to be written in hopes of winning awards - even though their true intent might be to enlighten others on the subject. "The Devil Came on Horseback" has the potential to whip audiences into a fanatical zeal that just might aid Darfur. But chances are that the same audience who sees "The Devil Came on Horseback" during its opening week will find their passion fading over the course of the following week. Steidle is just another individual embarking on the quest to bring Darfur awareness to America. What he doesn't seem to understand, however, is that Darfur has already found itself positioned alongside other political debates in America. By using the same persuasive tactics other Darfur documentaries use - the horrifying photographs, the first-person accounts, the tragic aftermath - Steidle hampers his case and instills a sense of apathy in his viewers. Americans have become desensitized to the Darfur imagery. And as they continue to learn of the genocide's magnitude, they find themselves feeling powerless. One has to question whether these tragic documentaries are really the best way to inform people about the Darfur crisis, especially when they offer little to no information about what can be done to help.
