Lions for Lambs

                The title of this film, “Lions for Lambs” raises an interesting question. Who are the lions and who are the lambs? The film presents us with three different groups of people and the telling of one story.  We are presented with a Congressman and a successful journalists, a group of infantry soldiers fighting in Iraq, and finally college student Todd Hayes. Todd has what it takes to become very successful, according to one of his professors. Professor Stephen Malley had only seen this type of potential in two of his former students, Arian and Ernest. Frustrated with the situation of the country in regards to the war in Iraq, Arian and Ernest decided to join the armed forces, against the wishes of Professor Malley. It seems that Professor Malley doesn’t want history to repeat itself. He wants to lead Todd in the correct direction. Todd sees politics as nonsense. In his mind the country is lead with lies, lies that only serve to maintain those in power. The question that Todd faces after speaking with Professor Stephen Malley is to choose whether to “drive” or “to be driven”? Whether to be a lamb or a lion?

                The phrase “Lions for Lambs” can be translated to strong brave soldiers led by weak incompetent leaders. The lack of communication between the individuals making the calls and those carrying them out is very predominant in the story. Senator Jasper Irving has no regard for human loss in his road towards glory. As he tells Janine Roth, he wants to give the American people what they have been waiting for, a win that will pave his way to more power in the government. Senator Irving can be described as the Lamb leading the Lions. For Irving everything is a strategic plan, everything can be accomplished by hiding the dirty work and covering it up with a nice cover story.

                 So what really is this talk of lambs and lions all about? The reality is that anyone of us can represent the character of Todd Hayes. Every one of us has a choice to make in regards to the future of our country. If we desire change we must cause it. How we decide to bring about such a change is as important as taking that first step. Arian and Ernest wanted to change an institution but went in through the back door instead of the front. They placed themselves under the instruction of the “lambs” they had criticized and hoped to reform. Professor Malley was trying to make Todd understand that there were more than two options. That is, that it’s definitively possible to be a strong leader and lead a strong country at the same time. Often as a society we forget that we too have power. We take it for granted and allow ourselves to be led in the wrong direction. When we come to realize what has happened it is often too late. Then we become disappointed in our government as Todd did and remove ourselves. This film emphasizes the fact that it is our responsibility to find answers to the problems and conflicts that our country faces and portrays what can happen if we do not.