This film portrays how the people's of the Middle East especially Arabs and in a wider sense Muslims are clichéd with a rather imperative attitude by Hollywood. Dr Shaheen examines how and why these stereotypes are upheld and epitomise the ethnic groups of the Middle East and Islamic culture in general. He takes a look at the cultural and political science behind the negative images that has deep roots which are Orientalist and how this has become politicised with American interests in the Middle East and especially the Levant since the Second World War. He does not deny that there are problems in the Arab world but this has become a stereotype that has become so ethnic to the core that it is invisibly racist. The good thing about it is that it is for the general person who has no background knowledge of these images to access the information in an easy manner to combat these stereotypes for people especially now with American military action in the Middle East to overcome these prejudices and the imperial rhetoric. However I feel he should of made a reference to the works of the late Edward Said to give it more depth and a wider understanding whilst keeping it general and to the objective of cinema. One reviewer has called this an apologist for Sharia culture which shows his shallow understanding and lack narrow Philosophy. Arab and other civilisations such as the Chinese have their own values, cultures and identities that were for their time more advanced then the West which only rose as late as the the 19th Century and can overcome their own problems if left alone. I will finish why are some groups positively stereotyped and others degraded.

Hollywood's treatment of Arabs on screen is actually often gentle and politically-correct, thanks to fear of protests like Mr. Shaheens.If the depiction of Arab terrorists seems over-the-top in a dumb action-adventure, try looking at pictures of Islamic men about to decapitate a hostage or the carnage after a suicide bombing. Or listen to a Bin Laden video urging Americans to join his efforts to establish a new caliphate. And does Shaheen really want Hollywood to show daily life in Iran, where women have to make sure they are not seen in public with nail polish on their fingers lest they be sent home or even beaten by religious enforcers who roam the streets and shopping centers? How about the stoning of adulterers, or punishment of rape victims, or limb-amputation of petty thieves? Until Islam itself confronts and truly tries to stop the use of random violence against civilians and the application of medieval laws to modern citizens, it's going to have a problem getting good press.

Kudos to Dr. Jack Shaheen for his no nonsense and uncomforting look at how not only Hollywood movies but even children's cartoon shows have demonized, dehumanized and wrought havoc on the peoples of the Middle East, Islam, Iran and Palestinians. From the early pre-20th century colonial images of Arabs and Iranians as the aggressive, sub-human Other, Reel Bad Arabs dives into 100 plus years of movies that have stereotype Arabs as lecherous, dangerous and lesser from both children and adult movies. The saddening part of this demonization is that most of these stereotypes are practically unnoticeable to any movie goer or viewer. No matter how many time one watches movies where the Middle East is automatically associated with terror or oppression of women will one think of an alternative more positive or balanced view of the region or the peoples who live there. The negative stereotype of Arabs and Iranians have passed through so many generations continuously through frequent television stations such as FX, Spike TV, TNT, & even Cartoon Network (older repeating cartoon shows from the early 30's & 40's vilify and insult the culture and hertiage of the Middle East) it is little wonder the War on Terror wasn't criticized until four to five years after it started on September 11! As Shaheen argues we have been so ingrained, propagandized and filled with the negative images of Arabs and Iranians as people who are lesser or "The Other" that it is little wonder wars in Iraq, Palestine-Israel, Sudan continues and the deaths of Iraqis, Palestinians, Israelis and Darfuris do not matter or count as newsworthy to the general public. High recommendation for all students, parents and politicians who fail to see what generations of negative stereotyping can have on a society as a whole!

This simple truth of how Arab in whole are vilified in both media and movies needs to be told. Just as other ethnic groups before, their voices need to be heard so that hate crimes and discrimination can be avoided. The first step is through documentaries such as this one. The narrator, Jack Shaheen has written other great books such as The TV Arab, which in text shows and uncovers a lot of the same criminalization of Arabs through movies and TV series, as well as the mainstream media. The next step is by telling people about these documentaries so that people can become informed about the truth. Jack Shaheen approaches this delicate yet critical topic in the most respectable and professional manner.Great Film!