The Men Who Stare at Goats 2009

The film commences with Brigadier General Dean Hopgood (Stephen Lang) fixated on a seemingly impenetrable wall from behind his desk. With an air of intensity, he instructs his secretary of his impending departure into the adjacent room, only to charge forth and collide with the very same wall in a futile attempt to phase through it. A curt expression of frustration is all that escapes his lips as he mutters a succinct yet emphatic expletive.

As the narrative unfolds, Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), a reporter for a local newspaper in Ann Arbor, Michigan, embarks on a journey of self-discovery. His initial desire to recount the story of his life had been to chronicle the moments that followed his marriage to Helen (Rebecca Mader), his college sweetheart. However, he comes to realize that his true tale began with an unexpected encounter - an interview with a local individual who claimed to be part of a clandestine government initiative. This individual, Gus Lacey (Stephen Root), regales Bob with tales of psychic espionage and presents him with an astonishing demonstration of his alleged abilities.

Lacey reveals to Bob the existence of a secret unit comprised of psychically gifted operatives, each possessing unique methods for harnessing their powers. The most formidable among them is Lynn Cassady, whose prowess has earned widespread recognition. Though Bob is initially skeptical, he finds himself enthralled by Lacey’s accounts and is subsequently compelled to write a piece about the enigmatic individual.

As the months pass, Bob’s article fades into obscurity, and his life becomes increasingly aimless following Helen’s departure from him. The sudden loss of a coworker serves as a catalyst for her decision to leave Bob and pursue true happiness with their one-armed editor, Dave. Struggling to come to terms with this newfound sense of emptiness, Bob sets his sights on Iraq in the hopes of securing the perfect scoop and redeeming himself in the process.

As Bob wanders through the Middle Eastern landscape, his quest for entry into Iraq ultimately proves elusive. Instead, he finds himself lounging in hotel lobbies, punctuating his downtime with phone calls to Helen (her continued entanglement with Dave a stark reminder of his own irrelevance). The loneliness and frustration culminate in a nightcap of liquid solace, during which Bob’s restless mind begins to wander. His attention is piqued by the presence of a suited individual (George Clooney as Lynn Cassady) attempting to make a sales pitch to the newly appointed Iraqi government. As the power flickers and finally goes out, Bob’s gaze falls upon the man’s nametag, his curiosity piqued.

This unexpected encounter sets off a chain reaction, as Bob becomes entangled in a web of intrigue. His pursuit of Lynn takes them from the hotel’s lobby to its kitchen, where the tension builds as they navigate the darkness. Lynn’s agitated state is palpable, and he demands to know who sent Bob, only to be met with the reporter’s claim of being a simple journalist from Michigan on the hunt for a story. Lynn’s wariness eventually gives way, and he invites Bob up to his room, where the narrative takes a surreal turn.

It is here that Bob learns of the enigmatic Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), a Vietnam veteran whose experiences in combat led him to a profound epiphany: Love would be the ultimate victor in wars. This realization prompted Bill to abandon his initial research into conventional warfare and instead focus on developing a manual for a more unconventional approach. The New Earth Army, a branch of psychic warfare supported by Brigadier General Hopgood, was thus born.

Lynn’s connection to this world is rooted in his role as a computer whiz who inadvertently brought down the systems at Area 51. As a result, he was transferred to the New Earth Army unit, where his unique abilities were harnessed and he was trained to become a Jedi of sorts – a warrior wielding the power of the mind. The boundaries between reality and fantasy begin to blur as Bob becomes further enmeshed in this mysterious world.

As the allure of the narrative proves irresistible, Bob persuades Lynn to take him along on their expedition into the heart of Iraq. Initially, Lynn is adamant that he’s retired and unwilling to indulge Bob’s enthusiasm, but the latter’s peculiar doodle of an All-Seeing Eye on a dollar bill catches his eye, prompting a sudden change of heart. Before succumbing to sleep, Lynn injects himself with steroids, claiming it’s for Crohn’s disease, while Bob drifts off into unconsciousness.

The next day, their adventure begins in earnest as they embark on a long, arduous drive across the Iraqi terrain. Hours blend together as Lynn attempts to cook hamburgers using an unconventional solar cooker devised by the enigmatic New Earth Army. However, his efforts are ultimately foiled, and the pair settles into a fitful slumber within their vehicle. The following morning, Bob awakens to find himself alone in the desert, convinced that Lynn has abandoned him to a fate worse than death. But as he frantically searches for signs of life, he discovers his companion perched atop the car’s roof, paying homage to the solar deity.

As they journey towards Baghdad, Lynn’s antics become increasingly erratic, culminating in an ill-fated attempt to harness the power of the clouds, which results in a catastrophic collision with a massive stone monument. Stranded and waiting for rescue, Bob is forced to confront the enigmatic New Earth Army, learning that this mysterious unit has dedicated itself to the pursuit of invisibility, psychic remote viewing, and self-actualization. Under Bill’s guidance, Lynn transformed from an awkward, uptight soldier into a remarkable telepathic prodigy capable of tracking down any individual with his mind.

As Bob struggles to reconcile his growing unease with the events unfolding around him, he begins to suspect that Lynn has finally lost his grip on reality. This impression is reinforced when Lynn’s unpredictable behavior culminates in a series of unprovoked attacks against Bob using various objects. Just as Bob reaches the limits of his endurance, a truck appears out of nowhere, arriving to whisk them away from their desert predicament.

As the two strangers, Bob and Lynn (played by (actor name)), are taken into custody by the rough-looking men on the truck, they’re immediately subjected to a thorough search of their belongings. Bob’s anxiety reaches a fever pitch as he frantically asks Lynn if they’ve been snatched up by terrorists, only to have his worst fears confirmed by the cold glint of steel pressed against his temple. The duo is subsequently locked away in a dingy holding cell, where Bob’s panic begins to give way to despair.

Lynn, sensing his friend’s distress, tries to offer some reassurance about their situation, but it’s not until he reveals the striking tattoo of the All-Seeing Eye on his chest that Bob starts to calm down. As Lynn explains their predicament - having been kidnapped by low-level gangsters rather than actual terrorists - Bob begins to grasp the gravity of their situation. The two captives are pawns in a larger game, and they must be careful not to get passed around like hot potatoes.

The standoff at the swap meet the next morning is a tense affair, with Lynn refusing to budge despite the mounting pressure from their ruthless captors. Just as it seems like things are about to go from bad to worse, Bob lets out a defiant cry in Arabic - “I Am a Reporter!” - which sends the terrorists into a shooting frenzy. Lynn springs into action, tackling one of the attackers and disarming another, before making off with the would-be assassin’s gun and commandeering their truck.

As they speed away from the chaos, they attempt to rescue their fellow hostage, Mahmood (played by (actor name)), but in the heat of the moment, they end up running him over instead. The trio finds themselves surrounded by a fleet of White Jeeps, belonging to none other than Todd Nixon (Robert Patrick), a self-assured private defense contractor with grand plans for westernizing the region.

As Nixon boasts about his schemes to bring franchise culture to Baghdad, a firefight erupts between his contractors and their rivals - both claiming to have been fired upon by Iraqi insurgents. The trio manages to slip away unnoticed, eventually making their way to Mahmood’s house, where they’re met with devastating news: his wife is nowhere to be found.

Mahmood’s spirits are crushed, and Lynn tries to offer some solace for the distressing turn of events. That night, Bob bears witness to Lynn’s desperate attempt to inject his last bottle of medication - a painful reminder of the toll their ordeal has taken on this troubled individual. Mahmood lends them his car, and the pair sets off once more, driving to a crossroads where Bob can’t help but mock Lynn’s lack of navigation skills.

Their journey takes an unexpected turn when a hidden mine explodes beneath their tires, sending the vehicle into a gravity-defying backflip.

As Bob (character) lay battered and bruised on the jungle floor, Lynn’s unwavering dedication to survival proved to be the difference between life and death as she carried him from the wreckage of their ill-fated expedition. But even in the midst of this desperate struggle for life, Bob’s ire was piqued by Lynn’s revelation that he had been reactivated by Bill, a mysterious figure who had dispatched him to Iraq with a singular mission: to locate Bill and uncover the truth behind his sudden recall. As the reality of their situation began to sink in, Bob’s frustration turned to outright incredulity as he realized that he was caught up in a web of deceit spun by none other than Lynn himself. The veteran operative’s words dripped with venom as he accused Lynn of perpetuating a cycle of chaos and destruction, claiming that the New Age Army’s downfall was directly attributable to his own hubris and lack of accountability.

Lynn’s remarkable talent for remote viewing had long been a source of fascination and frustration for Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey), a self-proclaimed psychic with an insatiable desire to supplant Lynn as the premier practitioner of their craft. Hooper’s jealousy had driven him to explore unorthodox methods, including the administration of LSD to a hapless lieutenant, whose subsequent descent into madness served only to further fuel Hooper’s own paranoid delusions. The tragic consequences of this ill-advised experiment played out in stark relief as the naked and disoriented soldier stumbled onto the training yard, his erratic behavior sparking a chain reaction of chaos that ultimately led to the lieutenant’s senseless self-destruction.

In the aftermath of this catastrophe, Bill found himself brought before a military oversight committee, where he was subjected to a withering barrage of accusations and insinuations courtesy of Larry Hooper. The latter’s Machiavellian machinations had succeeded in tarring Bill’s reputation, leading to his dishonorable discharge from the New Earth Army. As Bill bid farewell to Lynn, little did he suspect that his troubles were far from over, as General Holtz (Glenn Morshower) soon assumed command of the organization and began to exploit its psychic capabilities for nefarious purposes.

Lynn’s subsequent tour of duty proved a grueling ordeal, punctuated by an eerie demonstration of his powers as he psychokinetically induced cardiac arrest in a hapless goat. As the minutes ticked by, the animal’s lifeless form served as a stark reminder of the terrible toll exacted by Lynn’s extraordinary abilities when wielded for malevolent purposes. The weight of this burden would continue to haunt him long after his departure from military service, as he struggled to come to terms with the dark forces that had consumed his being and forever altered the course of his existence.

As Lynn and Bob succumb to slumber, their reality takes an unexpected turn. Upon waking, Bob’s gaze falls upon a peculiar visitor: a goat, whose gentle presence sparks his curiosity. Following the caprine companion to its watering hole, Bob and Lynn partake in the refreshing beverage as a helicopter whisks by above. The pair’s consciousness is soon interrupted, and they find themselves revived in hospital beds, their minds reeling from the bizarre events that transpired.

As Lynn’s gaze drifts around the sterile environment, she becomes fixated on a figure observing them from afar. Her curiosity piqued, she sets out to track down the enigmatic stranger, navigating through surreal chambers filled with goats and prisoners subjected to an auditory assault of Barney’s saccharine tunes, accompanied by disorienting strobe lights.

Their journey leads them to an older Bill (Bill), now a shadow of his former self, ravaged by substance abuse and addiction. He is employed by the enigmatic Hooper at Psi Securities, a cutting-edge firm specializing in subliminal messaging and psychological manipulation on a global scale. As Lynn is offered a position, her heart sinks upon beholding Bill’s despairing state.

Meanwhile, Bob wanders through the hospital corridors, only to find Lynn slumbering once more. Upon awakening him, Lynn reveals his own mortality, citing cancer as the harbinger of his demise. Bob attempts to rationalize the “death palm” phenomenon, but Lynn’s conviction is unwavering. With a heavy heart, Bob finds solace in an eagle feather gifted by Bill, symbolizing their shared connection and Lynn’s psychic abilities.

Bob and Bill converge, forging an unlikely bond as they delve into the mysteries of the Jedi lifestyle. In a poignant moment, Bill shares his wisdom with Bob, imparting valuable insights on embracing this esoteric path.

As Hooper pays Lynn a visit, he deliberately awakens him from his slumber, extending an offer that carries a hint of menace. Hooper’s words are laced with malice as he taunts Lynn, revealing his knowledge of the psychic’s sham abilities and Lynn’s reliance on information gleaned from a former New Earth Army operative. The encounter leaves Lynn reeling, and he succumbs once more to the allure of sleep.

As Lynn stumbles into the mess tent the following morning, Bob and Bill are already indulging in a breakfast feast that’s been surreptitiously laced with a potent dose of LSD. The entire army is now under the influence of the drug, their perceptions warped by vivid hallucinations. Unbeknownst to them, Bill has also spiked the water supply, ensuring that the trio - including Lynn - are equally impaired. As they stumble out into the open, Bob convinces Lynn to seek redemption by liberating the goats and prisoners held in storage. The duo, emboldened by their altered state, successfully spirit away the goats and prisoners from the camp without encountering any significant obstacles - until they’re confronted by Hooper.

The burly officer brandishes a gun at them, only to momentarily succumb to his own hunger pangs, opting instead to indulge in a snack. The prisoners and goats are given a clear path to freedom as a result of this sudden distraction. Meanwhile, Bob watches as Lynn and Bill board a helicopter and take off into the unknown. When asked to join them, Lynn declines, designating Bob as the messenger tasked with sharing their extraordinary tale with the world.

As the chopper vanishes into the distance, Bob is left to ponder his own role in the grand scheme of things. He realizes that his duty lies not in seeking excitement, but rather in faithfully chronicling the events that have transpired. With a heavy heart, he accepts his responsibilities and becomes an editor at his paper, often gazing intently at the wall before suddenly phase-shifting through it like a true Jedi master. Despite his disappointment with the public’s apathy towards their story, Bob finds solace in knowing that life has its own way of unfolding, and sometimes it’s necessary to go against the tide to truly experience its depths.