Review: Pray the Devil Back to Hell (2008) *** 1/2
Photo by Pewee Flomoku
Africa doesn’t make the news in the United States very often. Even countries like Liberia that are uniquely linked to our own history rarely make headlines. As a result, you’ve probably never heard of the courageous women who came between a group of warlords and a corrupt president in 2003 to bring peace to their war torn country. Gini Reticker’s documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell seeks to turn the spotlight on this miraculous but largely unheard of moment in African history. If, in the end, the subject matter tends to overwhelm the filmmaking, at least it’s better than the other way around.
Founded by freed American slaves in the 19th century, Liberia has had a long history of tension between descendents of the Christianized settlers and the natives. In 1980, a military coup overthrew the Americo-Liberian controlled government and a series of civil wars followed which ultimately led to the deaths of an estimated 200,000 Liberians.
In 2003, fed up with the violence that was killing their sons and destroying their country, a group of women banded together, first in Christian churches but ultimately crossing religious lines to draw in Muslim women as well, all in an effort to bring peace to their long-suffering homeland.
Led by a woman named Leymah Gbowee, the group initiated a series of peaceful protests, including a sex strike straight out of Greek drama. Ultimately they managed to force the corrupt president Charles Taylor into peace talks with the warlords. When those talks threatened to break down with no resolution, the women blockaded the building insisting that they would remove their clothes if forced to leave. How the situation works itself out is probably best revealed in the documentary itself.
Almost lost to history, the women’s story is simply told through interviews with the participants including the charismatic Gbowee and also through much archival footage that director Reticker and producer Abigail Disney managed to uncover in Liberia. West African-born Angelique Kidjo provides vocals for the terrific soundtrack.
The results are imperfect. I would’ve liked a deeper look at the history that led up to the horrible conditions in Liberia and more information about the country’s current status for example, but this is still powerful stuff. By themselves, the women’s actions are an inspiring testament to the determination of will and the power of collective peaceful action to make positive change. Without Pray the Devil Back to Hell, the story may never have been told to the world. That in itself makes it worth seeing.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell. USA 2008. Directed by Gini Reticker. Written by Sara Lukinson. Cinematography by Kirsten Johnson. Edited by Kate Taverna. Music composed by Blake Lehy with vocals by Angelique Kidjo. Not rated by the MPAA. 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Filed under: Reviews
Tags: Abigail Disney, Angelique Kidjo, Blake Lehy, Gini Reticker, Kate Taverna, Kirsten Johnson, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, Sara Lukinson
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An essential story of social injustice, always a perfect choice for a documentary, but as you attest to, not quite deep or comprehensive enough to warrant unqualified praise. Still, as you say at the end, it does take some kind of an ‘announcement’ to the world to appraise them of an issue that few people would not have heard otherwise.
Very lucid and engaging essay, and surely a film I want to check out myself. That soundtrack intrigues me.
Sounds inspiring, even if the filmmaking isn’t top shelf. I want to see this. Too much of women’s history is lost, particularly in places like Africa, where everyone’s stories are lost to us as we go about our own mighty, self-important lives.
Coincidentally, when I lived in South Arkansas, I lived down the street from the former Vice President of Liberia, who happened to be traveling in the U.S. when the coup happened in 1980 and could not return. He was my dad’s boss and a really wonderful man full of terrible stories he preferred not to tell.
Docs are hard for me to review. I tend to give bonus points for the sheer subject matter and this is a good one. A story that needed to be told, especially because as JB says it’s a woman’s story.
JB, how did the former VP of Liberia find himself in Southern Arkansas?
Agreed, on absolutely everything you say here. For me, the subject matter was very powerful because of the Liberian women, particularly their frank approach to telling their story as well as some of the footage of them actually dealing with the warlords, especially the scene where they threaten to remove their clothes. A very moving, simple tale of human defiance and the will for change using intelligent, thoughtful methods.
Postscript: I saw this film last night at 10:00 P.M., and was treated to an introduction by the two delightful ladies who made the film.
I agree with what Nick says here, but sad the film wasn’t better than it was. It had a very explosive subject.
Craig, he was also a United Methodist Bishop in Liberia before he became veep (the president at the time was a Baptist minister, first time the country had had clergy in the two highest offices). When he became stranded in the U.S., the UMC gave him work as a minister over here. Sooner or later, he was assigned to be a District Superintendent in Arkansas, where he was my dad’s (also a preacher) boss. I think maybe he had some family that were already living hereabouts, but not sure.
fascinating stuff there, jennybee.
Thanks for that JB. It’s kind of fascinating the paths lives take and the places people go. However, as PSH says in Synecdoche New York, we’re all the leads in our own stories.