We Come as Friends
A daring aerial journey through newly independent South Sudan reveals how war, poverty, and foreign intervention reproduce the logic of empire.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- haunting
- sobering
- disturbing
- political film night
- documentary viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Hubert Sauper's documentary as a sobering, expertly edited, visually daring, and necessary indictment of neocolonial exploitation in South Sudan.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sauper pilots a tiny homemade plane through South Sudan, repeatedly framing the country from above and linking travel to political observation.
South Sudan's independence is contrasted with ongoing exploitation and external influence from international actors.
The documentary foregrounds real people and immediate encounters rather than detached geopolitical exposition.
Critical reception identifies the film's focus on imperialism in Africa taking new economic and cultural forms.
Films like We Come as Friends, and why
Darwin's Nightmare
politically engaged documentary filmmaking examining imperialism, resource extraction, and the human cost of global power
The Act of Killing
urgent observational documentary critique of western intervention and neocolonial violence in africa
The Look of Silence
haunting documentary portrait of conflict, poverty, and international exploitation with strong authorial perspective
Movie Details
- Director
- Hubert Sauper
- Release Date
- 2014-01-18
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (23)
Cast
- George Clooney
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is We Come as Friends about?
- A daring aerial journey through newly independent South Sudan reveals how war, poverty, and foreign intervention reproduce the logic of empire.
- What is We Come as Friends like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of We Come as Friends as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is We Come as Friends violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in We Come as Friends as graphic.
- What did critics think of We Come as Friends?
- Critics broadly regard Hubert Sauper's documentary as a sobering, expertly edited, visually daring, and necessary indictment of neocolonial exploitation in South Sudan.
- Which films are like We Come as Friends?
- Films with a similar feel include Darwin's Nightmare, The Act of Killing, and The Look of Silence.
- How long is We Come as Friends?
- We Come as Friends runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch We Come as Friends?
- In United States, We Come as Friends is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
