abortion is a hot political topic no matter which side of the fence someone is on . those that lobby for and against a patient's right to choose concentrate on the pregnant women who walk into clinics . but what about those who perform the actual procedures ? how are their lives affected ? on hostile ground takes a closer look at the lives of three doctors who provide abortions in montana , alabama , and upstate new york . they vary in background but have one thing in common : they are picketed and persecuted by their community for the services they perform . after seven abortionist killings ( and many more injured ) , shockwaves have shuddered through this decreasing sect of the medical community . this documentary puts a human face on an issue rife with extremes , and from an angle seldom considered . the focus shifts from doctor to archival news footage to what members of the community have to say . unfortunately , this exact cycle repeats monotonously throughout the 73 minutes . news footage of violence becomes repetitive , especially when it is related to the same case . every now and then these dragging stretches of scenes are punctuated by statistics on a black screen or shots of protesters in front of clinics . admirably , while the documentary is staunchly pro-choice , this is captured through the movie's subjects instead of heavy-handed photography . because the doctors talk directly to the camera and not to a narrator , connection is a little easier with the audience , no matter the stance . the statistics that are utilized aren't trying to prove or disprove the right to choose . the number of women who have abortions in any given year isn't important to the argument . the numbers concentrate solely on the number of professionals in the field of abortionism and those that have suffered due to their profession . unfortunately , though the doctors profiled have compelling personalities and views , to hear them say that a woman should have the right to choose several times during any given 10 minute span tries anyone's attention , whether you agree or not . there is also a great deal of extraneous footage that isn't quite captivating enough to sustain focus . this may be due to the filmmakers having more interesting discussions than visuals to work with . surprisingly , there is only a brief mention the shooting of dr . gunn in florida , though the entire basis of the film is how these doctors are in danger . dr . gunn was one of the first abortionist victims to make national news . his death occurred well before the shooting of dr . slepian , of whom so much is heard during the course of on hostile ground . on the other hand , on hostile ground provides a complete , and fairly objective , portrait of the communities these doctors serve . the christians that picket the offices but don't get violent are not judged for their convictions , either by the filmmakers or the doctors' staffs . patients' opinions are juxtaposed against other local residents , staff who work with clients , and families of the professionals . a viewer can get the feel of what it's like to live in that town , without political ideas thrown in your face . the documentary seeks , and succeeds , in putting a human face on the medical practitioners providing health services to those who choose to have an abortion . it edges on preaching -- wondering if the extremists that shoot such people are any better than those they harm -- but considering the severity of violence , this is easily excused . it could have been shorter , but the lives of these doctors are intriguing enough to warrant a document of their stories . 
