`Waltz' tackles issues of war; Oscar-nominated documentary from Israel focuses on futility.

Byline: Daniel M. Kimmel

COLUMN: Movie Review

War is hell, as they say, but for Israel war is often the lesser of two evils. The problem is that even when justified, it's still a bad choice. Having weathered the horrible attacks of 9-11, Americans are naturally inclined to support Israel, seeing the small Middle Eastern democracy as our ally engaged in the same fight against terrorism as we are. While there's much truth in that, the reality is somewhat messier.

That is not to justify over-the-top criticism of Israel, which excuses terrorists while blaming victims for fighting back. However, Americans may be surprised to learn that some of the harshest criticism of Israel's actions comes not from its enemies abroad but from the Israelis themselves. When you've worn the uniform of the Israeli Defense Force and put your own life on the line, no one's going to question your patriotism or commitment to Zionism.

Knowing that sets the stage for "Waltz with Bashir," a challenging Oscar-nominated documentary from Israel that has the force of a dream or a nightmare, staying with you long after you've woken up. It begins with filmmaker Ari Wolman in conversation with another man, both veterans of the first Lebanon war in the early 1980s. While talking about a recurring dream he's had that may be related to their military experiences, Wolman is startled to discover that he remembers very little of that time period. He decides to interview other veterans of that time, trying to piece together what happened so as to jog his own memory. He's less interested in the politics involved than in the impact of the war on the people on the front lines.

What makes this subtitled documentary unusual is that although it includes interviews with real people, the film is a work of animation. Most of the people interviewed provided their own voices for their animated counterparts, but two declined. Their lines are spoken by actors reading from the interview transcripts. Wolman opted for this course to make the action immediate instead of using old news footage intercut with middle-aged veterans talking about 25-year-old events. It adds to the surreal nature of life in wartime, which might be sitting around with nothing to do to or else suddenly facing tanks or sniper fire or potentially dangerous civilians.

The film builds toward the notorious massacres of Palestinians at Sabra and Shatilla, which Wolman accurately depicts as the murderous work of Lebanese Christian Phalangists, not Israelis. The question of what responsibility Israel had under the circumstances is left open. His agenda is less to assign blame or criticize particular leaders than to condemn the madness of war in general. Those who have experienced the horrors of battle are often the strongest voices against it.

Ultimately, "Waltz with Bashir" is Ari Wolman's statement on the futility of all wars and what it does to those who have to fight them.

`Waltz with Bashir'

***

A Sony Pictures Classics release.

Rating: R for some disturbing images of atrocities, strong violence, brief nudity and a scene of graphic sexual content.

Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: A scene from the animated film "Waltz with Bashir."