Educational Media Reviews Online

Star Wars Dreams is a partisan attack on missile defense masquerading as a documentary. Both proponents and detractors of a missile shield speak in the film, but any semblance of balance is soon lost. There is no investigation of the current state of the technology, how it works, or what its successes and failures are. Instead, the viewer is simply assured that the technology is a “total illusion” at least “decades away.” Of recent tests, “several have failed,” and we’re told the ones that succeeded were so easy that it was like strapping down a chicken and then congratulating oneself on being able to hit it. A professor announces that an enemy may launch decoys and the problem of decoys “is not solvable;” we’re told that he’s “staked his career” on this assertion.

Instead of substantiating or even explaining any of these bald assertions, Woodhead studies the necessarily irrational support for this total illusion. It turns out that fundamentalist Christians are predisposed to believe in and support this sort of imaginary project because they are fascinated by Armageddon. The viewer is treated to shots of church services, lots of church music throughout the film, and even interviews with evangelicals working on the project in Alaska who have a “blind faith” in missile defense. This treatment is reminiscent of a recent book by journalist and author Frances Fitzgerald, who appears frequently in the film (promoted to “Star Wars Historian”).

All this is unfortunate, given that this is a subject that could stand some illumination, particularly since it’s returning as a public policy issue. The technological challenges and cost merit serious scrutiny, but this film does not provide it.

Not Recommended