Are Film Critics Avoiding ‘Screams Before Silence?’

Film critics have plenty on their plate.

New studio films. Classic re-releases. Fathom Events titles. Streaming-only originals.

Most make a good-hearted effort to review as many titles as possible, this critic included. PR teams make the job easier by sending viewing links out or inviting critics to local film screenings.

It’s rare to find a major new movie that’s available for free on one of the biggest Big Tech platforms around, namely YouTube.

That’s where you can watch “Screams Before Silence,” Sheryl Sandberg’s blistering look at the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Sandberg interviewed survivors of the atrocities for the film. The documentary doesn’t show the grisly murders and torture, but the descriptions alone are heartbreaking.

The film is also available at the movie’s official web site. Either way, it couldn’t be easier to find it.

That’s good news for critics who are under tight deadlines and can’t always fit screenings into their schedule. And, at just under an hour, it’s not a title that requires a heavy time investment.

More importantly?

Few topics are as vital as the Oct. 7 attacks and their aftermath. Colleges are embroiled in anti-Israel protests, sparking comments from President Joe Biden and various national leaders.

It’s arguably the biggest story in the nation, and it’s been that way for days. That’s unlikely to change for a while.

Plus, “Screams Before Silence” went live April 26. It’s now six days later. 

Where are the reviews?

This critic reviewed the film both here and on YouTube.

TheWrap.com, to its credit, reviewed the film shortly after its release.

A good-faith Google search seeking reviews of the film mostly comes up empty. The film lacks an official Rotten Tomatoes page, but its IMDB.com page offers but two external reviews – this critic’s take on the movie and Solzy at the Movies.

The New York Times has no official review of the movie, just a column about the title from slightly right-leaning scribe Bret Stephens.

Sandberg, the film’s driving force, is a former Facebook CEO and a powerful figure in the culture. That adds another level of gravitas to the production.

So, again, why the lack of critical coverage? Could politics be to blame?

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A new report suggests that just 14 percent of Americans have a “great deal of confidence” in election-related news coverage from the mainstream press. Blame extreme liberal bias, toxic groupthink and an unwillingness to counter pre-approved narratives.

The film critic community is overwhelmingly liberal. Today’s progressives, in turn, are far more willing to criticize Israel and look past the horrors of Oct. 7.

What massacre?

Does that explain the lack of reviews? Is there another logical explanation? If so, please share it below in the comments.