IMDb 7.7 2015 HD

Only the Dead

Only the Dead

2015
Documentary
78 min TV-MA Australia
7.442 / 10
7.7 IMDB

A searing account of war correspondent Michael Ware's seven years reporting in Iraq--an extraordinary journey that takes him into the darkest recesses of the Iraq War and the…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Bill Guttentag / Michael Ware
Starring
Michael Ware

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

searing unflinching intense harrowing personal confronting raw deep profound challenging serious immersive

Reviews

I
Isabelle Moreau
Apr 19, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A visceral and deeply affecting journey, 'Only the Dead' places us squarely beside war correspondent Michael Ware for seven crucial years in Iraq. This isn't a detached historical overview; it's an immersion into the raw, often brutal, realities…

R
Reginald Thorne
Apr 19, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Only the Dead' presents a stark, unvarnished account of war correspondent Michael Ware's extensive engagement with the Iraq War. Spanning seven years, Ware's narrative is a descent into the conflict's most challenging aspects, aiming to explore the profound…

P
Penelope Davies
Apr 19, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Seven years embedded in Iraq. That’s the extraordinary premise of 'Only the Dead,' a film that takes its audience on Michael Ware's intense personal expedition. Ware’s account is the film's engine, a searing narrative that probes the depths…

A
Arthur Finch
Apr 19, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This is war reporting distilled to its rawest essence. 'Only the Dead' chronicles Michael Ware's extensive time in Iraq, a journey that promises to delve into the war's darkest corners. Ware's presence is the film's anchor, his narration…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 19, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

Michael Ware’s seven-year sojourn into the heart of the Iraq War is laid bare in 'Only the Dead,' a documentary that eschews easy answers for profound, often unsettling, truths. Ware himself is the unwavering compass, guiding us through…

FAQs

While 'Only the Dead' is undoubtedly a historical document of the Iraq War, its strength lies in its deeply personal nature. The film is framed by war correspondent Michael Ware's seven-year journey, making it as much an exploration of his individual experience and the impact of conflict on the human soul as it is a chronicle of historical events. It’s this blend of personal narrative and historical context that defines its unique perspective.