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“The Undefeated” Trailer: New Palin Doc May Surprise You

Posted July 8, 2011 8:12am by

THE FULL REVIEW + AN INTERVIEW WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR STEVE BANNON DROPPED TODAY. CLICK OVER HERE TO READ MUCH MORE ON THE UNDEFEATED

This film is not what you think it is. The Undefeated — the Palin-praising documentary about the life and political career of the former Alaska governor — is not just two hours of liberals using the C word.

Director Stephen K. Bannon’s mission here was not simply to cut down progressives and liberalism by propping up Sarah Palin. While it is a fawning theatrical shrine to the most polarizing woman in politics, it’s not really a right-wing drive-by on lefty haters. If anything, Bannon’s documentary is more of a shot across the bow of the GOP establishment and the entrenched right than it is the Democratic Party and the Palin-hating left. The targets and the message will surprise you.

Whether you hate Palin with every fiber of your being or whether you love her as the misunderstood hero to the common man, whether you want her to run for president of these United States or whether you want her to permanently re-locate to that country she can see from her house, The Undefeated is unquestionably a provocative film. Sure it’s an ode to Palin, but it’s really about good governance. It’s about rising up against the political class, taking on the corporate-backed Dems and GOP in tandem. It’s about core principles, beliefs. It’s about a return to the day, once again, when politicians get stuff done for the people. It’s about what a smarter, smaller government can and should do.

Bannon & Co. have released the official trailer for The Undefeated. Watch it here:

I saw Bannon’s documentary about the polarizing political celebrity at a screening for Palinistas back in June, and I’ll have more to say about it next week (just ahead of its July 15th release date). That will include a chat with Bannon himself, who I believe to be about as smart and genuine as they come, something I have never said and would still never say about the main character of his documentary.

His film, while creeping dangerously close to the border of Tea Party and Reagan Revolution propaganda, is an impressive effort, and it should serve to spark discussion about the role of our federal government, what it should look like and how it should work. And even if I disagree with its underlying message, and even if I dislike its overexposed messenger, I came away ready to discuss the future course of the nation. So reserve judgment. Don’t go in with preconceived notions. Forget you know who Palin is, the good or the bad. Just watch it. Open minded. Then react. Then discuss.

The Undefeated opens Friday, July 15th in selected theaters in several cities across these United States — check the website if you want to find out what’s closest to you.

THE FULL REVIEW + AN INTERVIEW WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR STEVE BANNON DROPPED TODAY. CLICK OVER HERE TO READ MUCH MORE ON THE UNDEFEATED

MOST RECENT BY Slade Sohmer:

Posted July 8, 2011 8:12am






  • Interested Observer

    Coming from a Sarah fan, you deserve kudos for giving an honest assessment and encouraging people to have an open mind about the film. You have rightly asked to reserve judgment, but you also commented that you would never consider Palin smart and genuine. Perhaps over time you will simply be able to philosophically disagree without questioning whether she is intelligent or genuine. I look forward to the continuing discussion.

  • Anonymous

    Stephen Bannon is someone I like quite a bit the couple of times I have met him but I had no interest in watching this at all. Slade Sohmer is about as fair a person as possible and this assessment makes me want to view what I honestly dismissed as just hype for Palin. I even told a friend recently who does like Sarah that it would be like Michelle Obama doing a documentary on President Obama, I wouldn’t want to go see that either. But I am changing my mind, I’ll watch this with a clear head.

  • Anonymous

    Sarah Palin IS competent. Combine that with her servants heart, and her serious fortitude, and we could have an exceptionally good president. In general, and atypically, the more someone knows about Palin, the more the person likes her.


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