Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Excellent docu on attempted shooting of reggae icon.
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ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff?
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
REMASTERED: WHO SHOT THE SHERIFF stars in the 1970s, as Bob Marley's music career was taking off, and his Jamaican homeland was on the verge of falling apart due to the violence between rival political factions. As the left wing and right wings of the country played out the Cold War battles also happening throughout the world, Marley tried to remain above the fray, making music intended to be a healing force for the peace and justice of the oppressed. His home had become a neutral ground for rival politicians and the street gangs they funded. But on December 3rd, 1976, seven men raided Marley's home while Marley and his band were taking a break from rehearsing. Marley's wife Rita was shot in the head, his manager was shot in the legs and torso, and Marley was grazed in the chest and hit in the arm. Miraculously, no one was killed. This documentary examines the social and political backdrop of Jamaica at the time, the suspects and guilty parties behind the shooting, and how it led to Marley's exile in London and his triumphant return in the legendary One Love Concert in 1978.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary is a short, concise, and informative documentary that's about the immense power Bob Marley's music had on so many. This power scared those who were in official power, and the power Marley held as the face of reggae wasn't something he allowed to be used by one side or the other. At the height of the Cold War and in the midst of intense unrest in Jamaica, this documentary shows how it became impossible for Marley to remain above the fray and still live in his country.
Using archival news footage and contemporary interviews, ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff? shows the events that led up to the assassination attempt on Marley's life, how his subsequent exile in London coincided with his ascendance as an international superstar and icon of reggae, and how Marley attempted to bring peace to the island by bringing the rival factions together on stage at his triumphant return during the legendary One Love Concert in 1978. Through all of this, besides the factual accounts and the history, the story that really emerges here is how, especially for Marley, music is, in the immortal words of free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, "the healing force of the universe."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about music documentaries. How does ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff compare to other music documentaries you've seen?
What are some other examples of documentaries that choose to focus on an extraordinary moment in someone's life?
How did the movie use contemporary interviews and archival news footage to show the Jamaica that was Bob Marley's home and the inspiration for his music?
Where can you learn more about Marley's life?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 12, 2018
- Cast : Bob Marley
- Director : Kief Davidson
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Run time : 53 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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