To some the prospect of watching a film about a death rowinmate is not all that appealing, and I should start by saying that if thiskind of film does not appeal to you, watch it anyway. Into the Abyss is adocumentary far more concerned with assessing the death penalty, but not in theconventional legal, ethical or even moral way, whilst these subjects are ofcourse covered this film really focuses on the human element.
Werner Herzog directs this piece with the subtlety such asubject requires, yet he also ensures we see and experience the deep emotionsthat both the prisoners and the victims’ families live through. I will not gointo detail about the crime that this film revolves around, needless to say it’stragic and in some way it challenges your perception of what you believe a murdererto be like.
What this film really provides is a balanced account of acrime in which the punishment was death, this allows us as a viewer to make apretty introspective evaluation on the death penalty, and whether we agree withit or not. I will not tell you what I realised about my own views on capitalpunishment, because I think it is important for you to make up your mindwithout any influences. This documentary has some unique features, theinvolvement of the director as a hidden force, the ease in which such controversialtopics are discussed, but most of all the simplicity. There is neither bravado,nor shock tactics, this is real film making around a real single issue, and I thinkthat is brave.
However, whilst I do applaud this film on many levels thereis a part of me that says, if you look close enough then this film is biased,it is anti-capital punishment, and the director even says so. Yes, such a topicis difficult to balance correctly and this does a superb job, but there isstill a slight shift against the death penalty, which raises the smallestdoubts about this film.
Into the Abyss is a wonderful, insightful blend of great camerawork and what occasionally amount to a superb journalistic piece rather than a documentarywith any real ambition. Instead we get a open book that we are given to readand evaluate of our own accord, it is powerful but it lacks the resoundingimpact that some other films on the death penalty have had, and is some way thatis the films biggest weakness. Dare I say this but this but this may in facthave benefitted from a clear biased, simply for greater impact, but then againwith capital punishment being thesubject that is, who am I to such a judgement.
OVERALL RATING: 4 STARS
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