The Reflecting Pool (2008) User Reviews

Counterproductive Docudrama on 9/11 Truth

[krice43 · 1/10 · 11 July 2008]

A failure artistically and as education.

This docudrama depicts a search for the truth about the events of 9/11. It takes place in 2006, and, apparently, only 3 people in the world are skeptical enough about the 'official story' to decide to investigate it. The main character is a magazine journalist who has a few weeks in which to write an article exposing the truth. This is not helpful to the 9/11 Truth movement, since by 2006 many thousands of people were interested and/or investigating and hundreds of books and DVDs had been published on the topic.

As if that's not bad enough, the acting is pretty bad and the writing is pedestrian.

9/11 Supercharger

[EmmanuelPerson · 10/10 · 21 July 2008]

This film is the perfect medium to get people thinking about 9/11, the event, the contradictions and its legacy. It manages to pack so many astounding facts about 9/11 and present them in a gripping manner.

I especially like the way viewers get to live through the hurdles faced by other concerned journalists and citizens investigating 9/11. For example, the hit-piece by the "Bare Facts" O'Reilly-esk news sequence with the sullying 'expert' is very fitting.

Producing a movie on such a controversial and under-reported topic must've been tough. But it was well worth it and should be an inspiration to all of us.

Definitely not "All the President's Men" nor "Wag the Dog"

[roald-1 · 3/10 · 6 July 2008]

We will never know for sure who was behind the assassination of JFK. We will never know for sure what really happened in Roswell. And we will definitely never know what really happened on 9/11. The U.S. is what it has always been. If this really was a conspiracy, it will long since have been so well covered up that not even Washington Post can disclose it.

After all the conspiracy theories (they even have their own websites), this film was a great disappointment with just a repetition of some highlights. It does not even attempt to make any dramatization. There are no effects; just two middle-aged men talking to each other and interviewing some chosen people.

A bad thing about America is that Watergate could happen at all. A good thing is that it was exposed. And that it inspired films like "All the President's Men", "Nixon" and "Wag the Dog".

An alternative look at the political version of 9/11.

[sszucker · 10/10 · 9 February 2008]

an excellent dramatic investigation of one of the most horrific and avoidable tragic incidents of modern times.The movie asks the most basic questions not covered by the press or official report.Why did the building collapse so rapidly and in such a controlled manner into their own footprint? Even the one not hit by an airplane? Why did the pentagon suffer so little damage after an entire 747 plunged into it? Why is there so little wreckage or bodies recovered? This is a well acted, terse and no nonsense directed film that belies its meager budget. A dedicated group of professionals must have been behind this film.Go see it. Tell your friends to see it and remember that most official versions of political reality rarely are any better than the worst conspiracy theory.

Fantasy World With No Loose Change

[chicagopoetry · 4/10 · 10 May 2011]

I actually saw Reflecting Pool on YouTube/movies, and had never heard of it before then. It's too bad this movie is so boring, because the premise is good. A Russian-American journalist is assigned to write a story about what really happened on 9/11, by the publisher of an independent magazine that is about to go corporate who wants to go out with a bang. The problem is that if this movie was set in the real world, all our hero would need to do is slip a copy of Loose Change into the VHS (yes, he uses a VHS not a DVD) and in an hour or so he would have all the evidence that he grudgingly uncovers throughout this nearly two hour yawn generator.

Just about every scene is the journalist sitting with some expert who is repeating nearly verbatim stuff that was revealed in Loose Change or in any number of other 9/11 documentaries. No new evidence is revealed whatsoever. Whoever made this film forgot that although based on facts it is a work of fiction. It would have been quite exciting if the journalist uncovered some hard evidence and then found himself in peril. Movies like Primer showed us that films don't need a big budget to be engaging. But instead, Reflecting Pool simply dredges up the same bullet points that have already been discussed but never answered for years, while changing the names of the sources (Popular Mechanics is repeatedly referred to as "that Mechanics science magazine").

I'd like to see this movie redone or better yet, a movie told from the inside depicting the theories of how it was done. This movie should be REALLY scary as the journalist uncovers what at least seems to be the truth about 9/11, but instead it's too busy trying to convince the viewer instead of convincing the protagonist.

Challenging the Unchallengable

[jimcirile · 8/10 · 9 February 2008]

"The Reflecting Pool" may just be the "All the President's Men" of our time. No, it doesn't have Hoffman and Redford. But it is a gripping, chilling and important fact-based investigative drama. Writer/director Jarek Kupsc ("Slumberland") stars as Alex Prokop, a successful hard-hitting Russian/American journalist. As a last gasp before corporate takeover, his editor (Lisa Black) hands Prokop a bombshell assignment -- investigate the official version of 9-11. Prokop, dismissive of 9-11 skeptics, reluctantly teams with grieving father Paul Cooper (the outstanding Joseph Culp) to investigate. After losing his daughter in the attacks, Cooper transformed himself into a 9-11 expert -- at the expense of his marriage. As Prokop and Cooper kick at the hornets' nest, a sickening, carefully orchestrated pattern of deceit emerges – and Prokop finds publishing the story may mean curtains on his career.

The well-researched (and exhaustively documented on the DVD) thriller ultimately proves more compelling than 9-11-themed documentaries such as "Loose Change" by taking a narrative approach and by personalizing the story. Disbelieving investigative reporter Prokop is an effective audience surrogate, while the passionate, fragile and self-destructive Cooper grounds the story with heart and soul -- a constant reminder of the human cost of the "war on terror." The script is solid, the characterizations moving. If the film has a flaw, it's in trying to document so much evidence in a narrative structure. Yet by and large, it pulls it off to deliver a chilling and effective message – maybe it *can* happen here.

"The Reflecting Pool" that will open eyes, anger some and test the faith of others. But it also finally gives voice to the 48% of Americans distrustful the official 9-11 story, according to a recent Zogby poll. And it's a tour de force from writer/director/actor Jarek Kupsc. See it and draw your own conclusions.

Maybe...Just Maybe?

[Nightmare-Maker · 10/10 · 8 August 2008]

9/11 was probably the most tragic day I can remember, it has always fascinated me...it's just so unbelievable, every time I see it on T.V, I wonder how could it be real! Well, this drama focuses on a journalist who teams up with a father who lost his daughter who was on one of the planes that hit one of the towers. The father believes that the whole thing was set up by the US government. Together they put all the pieces together, and the conspiracy theory they have is really does make you wonder...too many coincidences occurred on that day!

Why did both towers collapse in their own footprint?...Almost as if they were controlled demolitions! Building 7 fell in a completely straight line when all it had was a small section of flames and was not even hit by a plane.

NYC Firefighters claim to have heard loud explosions fron under the towers when the 1st plane hit, but their statements were totally overlooked by the commission!

Why were all the cameras from buildings surrounding The Pentagon confiscated half an hour after it was also attacked. And only five picture frames were ever released to the public, where you can't make out anything really...bearing in mind this is America's most well guarded building! Unbelievably, the questions keep getting asked to the people who seem like they are covering the whole thing up, high people just can't give concrete answers.

I think everybody should watch this because it really does make you wonder, some people will always believe what they think they saw on T.V, but I believe more people are looking at the bigger picture here.

So worth checking out...There definitely is more to 9/11 than meets the eye!

A very authentic view of the corruption

[truerae88 · 10/10 · 29 May 2011]

Professor Steve Jones of BYU was fired due to his meticulous and accurately scientific findings of demolition explosive material in the ash acquired by residents of New York! 9/11 was an inside job and I am so very happy that the truth is coming forth. I have a friend who wrote a fiction book based on a vision before 9/11 ever occurred that contained information that this was an inside job to ensure a money-making "war on terrorism" (See "Iraq for Sale: the War-Profiteers" for the billions of dollars made on wars!)! I am so glad that there are patriotic Americans who do NOT ignore the truth and are valiant to proclaim the truth rather than seeking money and status quo! All guilty parties for the inside-job of 9/11 will rot in hell as you cannot take money and power with you. This was an extremely GREAT movie with a most IMPORTANT message, "Everything checks out" in this movie! It makes sense which does determine truth! Why do people believe lies when the truth is staring you right in your face?