This film is mildly recommended.
The Act of Killing is an off-putting but compelling documentary that examines the amorality of mass murderers. It is a rather bizarre experiment that rambles on to tedium, long after the killers' many confessions about their murderous reign of terror. The film plays more as a psychological thesis on abhorrent human behavior than a real documentary. Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer (and co-directed by Christine Cynn and Anonymous), the film is difficult viewing. Filmed in Indonesia, the film takes former death squad members and has these stone-cold killers perform and stage their gruesome acts of genocide as a theatrical presentation.
One participant even boasts that his body count exceeded 1000 lives. He is the film's central character, Anwar Congo, a heroic messiah who relishes in his own cruelty. After meeting him and his gang of cronies, the film takes its best (worst) foot forward with its let's-put-on-a- show approach to their real life murders with a variety of film genres. These make-believe snuff films are faithfully recreated as Congo and his killing crew play dress-up, direct their actors, and demonstrate their "acts of killing". But it is the killers' matter-of-fact re-telling of their horrific crimes that creates an uneasy feeling for any moviegoer and gives the film some gravitas.
As they present their re-enactments of their grisly deeds for the camera, there is an odd twist to the proceedings. They are asked to direct and film the murder scenes in the style of their favorite film genre. Film Noir, horror, musical, or western, the resulting surreal effect is chilling and simultaneously repulsive and gimmicky.
The Act of Killing does provoke outrage and effectively captures some chilling moments of profound absurdity, mostly due to the braggarts' inane comments and their lack of remorsefulness for their actions. But Oppenheimer and the other filmmakers' decision to show no blood letting or graphic violence downplays this grotesque charade of multiple killings. By playing it safe, the documentary loses its initial impact and desensitizes the extreme murderous actions of those involved, making this film a needless exercise in hyperbole. While the subject matter is important and needs world-wide exposure, the execution of the film (and the staged executions themselves) is heavy-handed, talky, and tiresome.
Monotonous rather than truly shocking, The Act of Killing is stunt casting at its worse. The film effectively shows a country filled with amoral people whose lack of respect for human life is disturbingly common. Yet it also unfolds as just another creepy film with a lack of respect for its movie-going audience as well. GRADE: B-
Visit my blog at: www.dearmoviegoer.com
ANY COMMENTS: Please contact me at: jadepietro@rcn.com
The Act of Killing is an off-putting but compelling documentary that examines the amorality of mass murderers. It is a rather bizarre experiment that rambles on to tedium, long after the killers' many confessions about their murderous reign of terror. The film plays more as a psychological thesis on abhorrent human behavior than a real documentary. Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer (and co-directed by Christine Cynn and Anonymous), the film is difficult viewing. Filmed in Indonesia, the film takes former death squad members and has these stone-cold killers perform and stage their gruesome acts of genocide as a theatrical presentation.
One participant even boasts that his body count exceeded 1000 lives. He is the film's central character, Anwar Congo, a heroic messiah who relishes in his own cruelty. After meeting him and his gang of cronies, the film takes its best (worst) foot forward with its let's-put-on-a- show approach to their real life murders with a variety of film genres. These make-believe snuff films are faithfully recreated as Congo and his killing crew play dress-up, direct their actors, and demonstrate their "acts of killing". But it is the killers' matter-of-fact re-telling of their horrific crimes that creates an uneasy feeling for any moviegoer and gives the film some gravitas.
As they present their re-enactments of their grisly deeds for the camera, there is an odd twist to the proceedings. They are asked to direct and film the murder scenes in the style of their favorite film genre. Film Noir, horror, musical, or western, the resulting surreal effect is chilling and simultaneously repulsive and gimmicky.
The Act of Killing does provoke outrage and effectively captures some chilling moments of profound absurdity, mostly due to the braggarts' inane comments and their lack of remorsefulness for their actions. But Oppenheimer and the other filmmakers' decision to show no blood letting or graphic violence downplays this grotesque charade of multiple killings. By playing it safe, the documentary loses its initial impact and desensitizes the extreme murderous actions of those involved, making this film a needless exercise in hyperbole. While the subject matter is important and needs world-wide exposure, the execution of the film (and the staged executions themselves) is heavy-handed, talky, and tiresome.
Monotonous rather than truly shocking, The Act of Killing is stunt casting at its worse. The film effectively shows a country filled with amoral people whose lack of respect for human life is disturbingly common. Yet it also unfolds as just another creepy film with a lack of respect for its movie-going audience as well. GRADE: B-
Visit my blog at: www.dearmoviegoer.com
ANY COMMENTS: Please contact me at: jadepietro@rcn.com