User Reviews

For those of us who object to the 30-second-spot treatment that the traditional media outlets are portraying the issues of radicalism in Islam and Christianity and their connection to the Middle East, HolyWars offers a refreshingly vivid portrayal of real people and their honest, unedited desires to make an impact on behalf of their religious beliefs and their communities.

Stephen Marshall's quest for truth in action is clear and present in his latest documentary. The fast-paced editing with cognisant references to history and politics make this a fantastic film for anyone interested in challenging their beliefs about how radicalism is spread, why it exists and the outcomes when two opposing fundamentalists face-off against each other.

A must see for the politically conscious, curious and concerned.

A rare,riveting and extraordinary documentary that is as touching as it is compelling. It gives you insight into a world you may have never known existed.

This film takes you into two opposing lives, both of which are ruled by illogical tbhought and fanaticism.

The film is an in depth 5 years study of two real life characters and their development from mild to wild.

I wish more film makers had the courage to make films like this! Stephen is a Genius.

Here's a seeming recipe for disaster: take one Muslim advocate for global jihad and put him in a room with one conservative Christian on a mission to evangelize the world's Muslims. Which man will be left standing? In HolyWars, Sundance-award-winning filmmaker Stephen Marshall pits the proverbial immovable object against the irresistible force. Khalid Kelly is an Irish convert to Islam who works to implement sharia law (stoning, veiled women, corporal punishment) in Britain. Aaron Taylor is an American conservative Christian whose organization takes both democracy and the gospel abroad as weapons in "the war between good and evil." Armed only with his camera and persistence, Marshall gradually earns his subjects' trust, probes their convictions and draws out their inner conflicts. Can fundamentalists change? evolve? find peace? But more immediately, as he follows Kelly into Pakistan, can Marshall avoid getting imprisoned or shot by the Taliban?

Holy Wars is a powerful documentary -- not least because it shows one human being challenge himself and grow before our eyes. I doubt that anyone who watches the film with any degree of openness will find him- or herself unmoved, and it's possible that it will serve to change some minds. I've had the chance to see it twice now, and on each occasion the viewing led to spirited and thoughtful discussion afterwards, and I suspect that will be the experience of many other folk, too. I'm a teacher by profession, and when the film becomes commercially available I hope to create an opportunity to bring it into my classroom.

Mr. Marshall clearly took some significant risks in making this documentary, and I salute him for his vision and courage.

Thought provoking and insightful.

Two men meet: different cultures, different experiences, different beliefs. One prepared to discuss religion, one focused on religious belief rooted in American foreign policy.

The lesson is in the power of listening. One hero is changed by the other's ability to explain.

I am struck by a young man's ability to keep his faith and to have courage to strive for clarity. His determination to share his epiphany in an effort to change the world is noble.

This is an important film. I can't stop thinking about it -- nor do I want to.