JFK REVISITED: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. Who Killed?

Despite more than half a century passing since the death of John F. Kennedy—the 35th President of the United States—the case of his assassination still seems unresolved, with far more questions than clear, satisfying answers. Did Lee Harvey Oswald really act alone? Or was he merely a scapegoat who had nothing to do with the assassination? Does the “magic bullet” theory, which suggests that a single bullet first pierced Kennedy’s neck and then hit Governor Connally’s shoulder and wrist, causing a total of seven different injuries, make any sense at all? Oliver Stone and his team of experts seek answers to these questions in JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass, often venturing into the realm of conspiracy theories.

In fact, Kennedy’s assassination is one of the few topics where delving into conspiracy theories is entirely justified. The official version of events, established by the infamous Warren Commission, is implausible, inconsistent, and, at times, simply absurd. According to research cited in Stone’s documentary, over 75 percent of Americans do not believe in it. Notably, the Platoon director has already publicly challenged the Warren Commission’s findings once before, with his memorable three-hour epic JFK, based on the controversial book by prosecutor Jim Garrison, portrayed in the film by Kevin Costner. JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass expands on the theories presented earlier, supplementing them with documents declassified after the 1991 film’s release.

Stone builds his documentary from a variety of sources. Naturally, archival footage appears, including the famous few-second-long film by Abraham Zapruder—first shown to the public several years after the assassination. The director himself also occasionally appears on screen, strolling through Dealey Plaza and speaking directly to the camera—an approach that emphasizes the personal nature of his project. The mystery of Kennedy’s murder is also Stone’s personal obsession, one he has been grappling with for many years. Beyond that, he employs the classic “talking heads” format, inviting independent experts and people connected to the case, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—the son of Robert Kennedy—who shares valuable insights from the perspective of a family member. Additionally, the film features images of various documents, animated visualizations, excerpts from the original JFK (treated almost as an objective historical source), audio recordings of confidential conversations between top government officials, and voice-over narration alternating between Whoopi Goldberg and Donald Sutherland (a clever move—enhancing the film’s credibility by enlisting respected actors with public trust). Overall, Stone overwhelms the viewer with evidence and clues—bombarding them with names, information, and expert analyses. At times, JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass is an extremely dense and demanding experience, requiring a great deal of focus, but it is never boring.

The director remains a devoted admirer of John F. Kennedy, who is portrayed in the documentary as perhaps the greatest president in U.S. history—a defender of freedom and the embodiment of American ideals. At times, these grand tributes are hard to react to with anything other than a bemused smile. Unsurprisingly, the film makes no mention of the Kennedy family’s alleged mafia connections (as highlighted in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman) or the president’s numerous affairs, which significantly strained his marriage to Jackie Kennedy. Oliver Stone fiercely protects JFK’s legacy, and to some extent, his stance is understandable. Compared to much of the political landscape of his time (not just in America), Kennedy indeed seems to embody virtue—a charismatic leader and an outstanding speaker unafraid to address pressing and controversial issues. It was under his leadership that African Americans were finally able to attend universities in the American South. In his famous televised speech in June 1963—just months before his death—the 35th president of the United States made a bold and open appeal for the equal treatment of Black citizens:

One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free. They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this Nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.

When figures like Donald Trump come to power, memories of the presidencies of John F. Kennedy or Jimmy Carter feel like fragments of beautiful, irretrievably lost dreams.

JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass does not provide definitive answers about the assassination of President Kennedy. It ruthlessly dismantles the official Warren Commission narrative, instead pointing to high-ranking figures in the CIA and FBI—Kennedy’s adversaries with vast influence within the state’s inner structures—as the likely masterminds behind the plot. It absolves Oswald, labeling him a “scapegoat.” However, this is merely one version of events—the road to truth may be far more complex and treacherous, or, as is often the case with decades-old mysteries, simply impassable.