The 10 Best Movies About ‘Guantanamo Bay’ Ever Filmed
Guantanamo Bay is a U.S. naval base located in Cuba, where hundreds of detainees have been held without trial or charge since 2002, as part of the so-called “war on terror”. The conditions and treatment of the prisoners have been widely criticized by human rights groups and international organizations, as well as by former inmates and guards. The controversial facility has also inspired many filmmakers to explore its stories, themes, and implications. In this article, we will present the 10 best movies about Guantanamo Bay ever filmed based on their critical acclaim, popularity, and relevance. Let’s see what we came up with.
1. ‘The Road to Guantanamo’ (2006)
What it’s about: This is not a movie but rather a documentary that chronicles the experiences of Ruhal Ahmed, Asif Iqbal, and Shafiq Rasul, collectively known as the ‘Tipton Three,’ three young British men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage from Tipton in the West Midlands. Set against the backdrop of the post-9/11 era, the documentary combines interviews with actual individuals, historical footage, and dramatized portrayals by actors. In September 2001, just after the 9/11 attacks, the Tipton Three traveled to Pakistan to attend a friend’s wedding. While staying at a mosque in Karachi, they decided to journey into Afghanistan to witness the unfolding events in the region firsthand.
Why you should watch it: The movie was generally well-received despite some criticizing the director for not asking the “protagonists” why they entered Afghanistan in the first place. The depiction of human rights abuses at Guantanamo Bay in the context of widespread criticism brings attention to the controversial nature of the prison and its detention practices.
2. ‘Camp X-Ray’ (2014)
What it’s about: Amy Cole is assigned to work as a guard at Guantanamo Bay, where detainees suspected of terrorism are held. The film primarily focuses on her relationship with one of the detainees, Ali Amir, played by Peyman Moaadi. Despite the strict rules against fraternizing with prisoners, Amy finds herself forming a connection with Ali as she begins to question the morality and humanity of the detention center’s practices.
Why you should watch it: Despite being an indie movie, ‘Camp X-Ray’ successfully handed topics larger than itself. Kristen Stewart takes on the main role and, according to the majority of critics, delivers the best performance of her career.
3. ‘The Mauritanian’ (2021)
What it’s about: In November 2001, Mohamedou Ould Slahi was approached by a Mauritanian policeman who informed him that Americans wanted to speak with him. Mohamedou, in Mauritania just two months after the September 11 attacks, agrees to accompany them. Fast forward to February 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where lawyer Nancy Hollander is approached by French lawyer Emmanuel. He reveals that a lawyer from Mauritania sought assistance on behalf of Mohamedou’s family. Despite being arrested three years prior, Mohamedou’s family only recently discovered, through a newspaper, that he is being held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He is accused of being one of the organizers of the 9/11 attacks.
Why you should watch it: ‘The Mauritanian’ is a movie based on a true story, and this is enough to send chills down your spine worse than any popular horror movie could. Despite the movie being criticized for its somewhat generic approach and chilling case, the cast performances were praised, especially Foster and Rahim’s.
4. ‘Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)‘
What it’s about: ‘Taxi to the Dark Side’ is an Oscar-winning documentary that critically examines U.S. policy on torture and interrogation, focusing on the CIA’s use of torture and research into sensory deprivation. The film presents discussions both opposing and defending the use of torture by political and military figures. It covers Congressional efforts to uphold the Geneva Convention standards against torture and explores the influence of popular culture, such as TV shows like ’24,’ in normalizing torture techniques.
The central plot of the documentary revolves around the death of Dilawar, an Afghan peanut farmer turned taxi driver. Dilawar died after enduring several days of beatings at the Bagram detention center. The film uses Dilawar’s tragic story as a focal point to expose the dark realities of torture practices and their consequences within the broader context of U.S. military policies.
Why you should watch it: I’m aware that this movie is not directly revolving around Guantanamo Bay, but holy s***. The film received critical acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2008, and not because it handled the issues “softly.”
5. ‘Five Years’ (2013)
What it’s about: How Murat Kurnaz ended up in Guantanamo Bay is a mysterious story. The film investigates the psychological aspects of Kurnaz’s prolonged and unjustified imprisonment, taking a look into the mysterious circumstances that led to his detention. The documentary also takes a better look at the physical and psychological torture that Kurnaz experienced during his extended period of captivity. Directed and written by Stefan Schaller, the film features performances by Sascha Alexander Gersak, Ben Miles, and Marc Hodapp.
Why you should watch it: This is a German-French movie that handles the issues surrounding Guantanamo differently. It handled Kurnaz’s imprisonment quite wonderfully, and some scenes are leaving the impact like you’re there in his stead.
6. ‘Rendition‘ (2007)
What it’s about: In North Africa, CIA analyst Douglas Freeman briefs an agent, but a suicide attack occurs, killing the agent and 18 civilians. The intended target, high-ranking police official Abbas-i “Abasi” Fawal, escapes unharmed. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Egyptian-born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi is implicated in terrorism based on phone records. Returning from a conference, he is detained by American officials and sent to a secret facility near the earlier attack, where he undergoes interrogation and torture. Anwar’s wife, Isabella, is kept in the dark about his whereabouts, and any official evidence of his presence on the plane is erased.
Why you should watch it: ‘Rendition’ is also not directly tied to Guantanamo Bay, but it deals with basically the same issues: torture and severe human rights violations. Although the movie was criticized based on its implied approach to issues, it’s still a great watch if movies based on true stories and documentaries are hard for you to handle.
7. ‘Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties‘ (2004)
What it’s about: A few weeks after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States Congress passed the controversial USA PATRIOT Act, aimed at tracking terrorist threats. The documentary wanted to explain the implications of the PATRIOT Act and to bring forth to light everything that is wrong with it. The film primarily criticizes the post-9/11 law enforcement practices that resulted in the detention of Muslims and individuals with Arabic names without due process or criminal charges. Including the story of Safouh Mamoui, a Syrian in Seattle arrested and imprisoned for ten months without charges, and Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen, and Muslim convert initially detained as a material witness in the 9/11 attacks and later labeled an ‘enemy combatant’ without evidence or formal charges.
Why you should watch it: You know how every time some attack happens, you lose more and more of your rights, but nothing actually improves? People complain about their liberties being taken away but you don’t care as long as “you don’t have nothing to hide.” Well, this documentary is about this theme exactly, about people who had “nothing to hide” but were still branded and almost had their lives ruined because of muddy laws with ulterior motives.
8. ‘We Are Not Ghouls’ (2022 / 2023)
What it’s about: Yvonne Bradley, a U.S. Air Force JAG attorney, volunteers to defend Binyam Mohamed, a detainee facing a death penalty case at Guantanamo Bay in 2005. Initially believing that the detainees at Guantanamo are ‘the worst of the worst’ in the war on terror, Yvonne’s perspective shifts dramatically as she arrives in Cuba and begins unraveling an unimaginable case. Over the next four years, she will fight tooth and nail to find out the truth.
Why you should watch it: This is a relatively new documentary dealing with a rather old topic, but surprisingly, it has a lot to say about it. It’s based on the book ‘The Guantanamo Lawyers’ and tackles the issue from a completely different perspective, that of lawyers who are seemingly defending “the worst of the worst.”
9. ‘A Few Good Men’ (1992)
What it’s about: At the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, a U.S. Marine, Private William Santiago, is subjected to a violent beating in the middle of the night and later found dead. Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey are accused of his murder and face a court-martial. The defense is led by Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, a Navy JAG Corps attorney known for plea bargains. Another JAG attorney, Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway, suspects foul play as Santiago had requested a transfer and died after breaking the chain of command.
Why you should watch it: I figured this list wouldn’t be complete without including ‘A Few Good Men, ‘ one of Cruises’ best movies and one of best legal dramas overall. Chances are big that you’ve already watched it, but maybe it’s time for a re-watch eh?
10. ‘Wasp Network’ (2019)
What it’s about: In 1990s Havana, pilot René González leaves his family in Cuba to start a new life in the U.S. He joins Brothers to the Rescue, a group opposing the Cuban government, engaging in military operations and efforts to disrupt the Cuban tourism industry. The “Wasp Network,” led by Gerardo Hernández, counters these activities. Cuban American groups, including the Cuban American National Foundation and Brothers to the Rescue, launched propaganda, smuggled drugs and weapons, and conducted terrorist activities, leading to the shooting down of two Cessna planes in 1996. Cuban pilot Juan Pablo Roque defects become an FBI informant and later reveals his infiltration into anti-Castro associations.
Why you should watch it: The movie does not directly revolve around Guantanamo Bay, but it’s a decent enough spy-mystery-thriller that I just couldn’t ignore its central theme.
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