I Am Vanessa Guillen – Netflix Review

I AM VANESSA GUILLEN on Netflix is a new documentary about the terrible fate of a young woman at the Fort Hood military base. This started a wave of change. Read our full I Am Vanessa Guillen documentary review here!

I AM VANESSA GUILLEN is a new Netflix documentary about the murder of a young woman at the Fort Hood military base. This case ultimately started a wave of change. Led entirely by her family and other survivors, not the Army itself. Of course not!

First, Vanessa Guilllén was “just” missing. But she disappeared while being at work as a Specialist at Fort Hood, and all of her belonging were still there. Ultimately, her body was discovered and since then her family has been fighting for justice.

Continuer reading our I Am Vanessa Guillen documentary review below. Find the true-crime documentary on Netflix from November 17, 2022.

The true crime case

In I Am Vanessa Guillen, the true crime case begins when the young Mexican-American soldier vanishes from a U.S. Army base. Immediately, her family knows something is wrong since nobody can reach her. The Army, however, is less reluctant to get involved.

As in, they take the backseat completely and do nothing (at least not publicly) for a solid two months.

As her mother reveals, Vanessa Guillén had always dreamed of joining the U.S. Army. She first stated this wish when she was just a child and signed up when she turned 18—much against her mother’s wishes.

Then, after reporting being sexually harassed at Fort Hood in Texas, she disappeared. Following a two-month search, her remains are finally found in a nearby rural area. This sparks an understandable rage directed at the Army officials who refused to act, resulting in a much bigger fight for justice.

They messed with the wrong family

The need for justice for Vanessa Guillén inadvertently turns into the hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillen. Much like the #MeToo movement, men and women alike share their stories of sexual assault and harassment. Harmful and terrible crimes that go largely (or entirely) unpunished.

The international movement to find her and expose ongoing corruption within the military ranks keeps gaining momentum.

I Am Vanessa Guillén follows Vanessa’s sisters Lupe and Mayra as they take their fight for justice from the streets to the halls of power in Washington, D.C. We get a rare and very personal behind-the-scenes look at their tenacious pursuit to change.

However, they are fighting a deeply rooted, controversial military justice system, which means it is a very uphill battle. Unfortunately, for Fort Hood Army base, they messed with the wrong girl. Her family does not back down or give up.

Watch I Am Vanessa Guillen on Netflix now!

I Am Vanessa Guillen was directed by Christy Wegener (executive producer on The Last Cowboy) and this Netflix true-crime documentary is executive produced by Story Syndicate’s Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus (Lost Girls), Jon Bardin, and Nell Constantinople.

If you’re a fan of true stories and enjoy seeing people fight for justice, then you’ll want to check out this one.

For good measure, it features interviews with the family and friends of Vanessa Guillén. Also, there are interviews with elected officials like Rep. Jackie Spears and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who are helping in the fight for justice and change.

This is a both brutal and beautiful testament to what one family’s love can overcome when fighting for justice. Even in the face of unimaginable grief and disbelief at the system meant to protect them.

I Am Vanessa Guillen is on Netflix from November 17, 2022.