"The plucky Brits in the hotel are not the story," Jeremy Hardy states at one point in this documentary, which follows a group of volunteers acting as 'human shields' in Palestine. He's right, but the film goes on to prove him wrong.
Neither giving a voice to embattled West Bank Palestinians or providing a true understanding of what makes these shields risk their lives, "Jeremy Hardy versus the Israeli Army" ends up as simply a slogan-spouting, holiday-from-hell souvenir.
Hardy is best known for his sharp wit as both a stand-up and regular performer on Radio 4's The News Quiz. He's also more left-wing than Ryan Giggs, so it's no surprise that he was asked to join the International Solidarity Movement in the West Bank town of Bethlehem during Easter 2002.
We see the stark reality of life in Bethlehem. Illegal Jewish settlements peer over the town from nearby hillsides and Palestinians are placed under virtual house arrest during curfews. But would it really betray the filmmaker's cause to mention the contemporary events (suicide bombings) which contributed to the army's violent incursion?
Despite its literalness, the film's title is actually a misnomer. "Jeremy Hardy versus his Self-Preservation Streak" is more like it, as the comedian battles his (and our) natural instinct to take cover when the bullets start flying.
There are glimpses of amazing stories here. Two of ISM's leading lights are an American couple - she's Palestinian descent, he's Jewish - but the documentary is too busy focusing on Hardy to explore these stories in anything other than cursory fashion.
Ultimately, director Leila Sansour is scuppered by her bizarre belief that a c-list celebrity will make us care more about the plight of the Palestinians. To paraphrase the comedian, Jeremy Hardy isn't the story here, the conflict that's been running since Biblical times is. For a little more perspective, try David Hare's one-man play, "Via Dolorosa".
Jeremy Hardy Versus the Israeli Army (2003)