What it’s about
How did American POWs survive after capture in North Vietnam? What were their day-to-day experiences? That’s the impetus behind this consistently fascinating doc, which blends archival footage (much of it from enemy propaganda reels) with first-person interviews. Senator John McCain, and less famous compatriots like Everett Alavarez and Robbie Risner, testify to the gruesome emotional and physical stress they endured, while recounting the various ways they resisted, secretly communicated, and kept the fire of hope alive for their safe return.
Why we love it
Narrated by Tom Hanks, “Honor” is a sobering film about the grueling experience of downed pilots and soldiers who lived, often for years, imprisoned behind enemy lines. Some were paraded before heckling crowds in Hanoi, others were forced to mouth pro-Ho Chi Minh phrases and tortured at medieval-grade prison sites the filmmakers revisit. Chronologically plotted and expertly shot, “Honor” is essentially neutral in its politics, focusing on the loyalty and courage of those who went far beyond the call of duty in their service.
Tom Hanks Michael Amundsen