By Samir Mathur
Contributing writer
Staff page | Twitter | TumblrINTO THE ABYSS (PG-13) opens tomorrow at the Regal Winter Park Village. Click here for showtimes.
Just in the last few years, Werner Herzog has visited ancient caves in the south of France, filmed Nicolas Cage screaming at an iguana, seen a man get eaten by a bear, and explored Antarctica. ALL THIS SINCE 2005! So it’s no surprise that his latest film is a surprise.
INTO THE ABYSS is about a triple homicide that took place in Texas in the year 2000. The two culprits are interviewed, as are family members of the victims and police officers who investigated the case. Herzog remains detached throughout – we only hear his voice, and never his opinions. Some reviews have criticized the film for not explicitly saying “The Death Penalty is bad and should be abolished”, but I think that works to its credit. There is unremitting bleakness in the lives of just about everyone concerned; be prepared for stories of addiction, poverty, abandonment, homelessness and tragedy aplenty. This is such a profoundly sad film that no editorializing is required.
Besides, the film doesn’t need its director to step up and make any such statement. Two of the people interviewed – the Death Row chaplain, and a former lethal injection administrator – make such passionate cases that anything more would be superfluous. The latter, particularly, tells a devastating story of how, after being in charge of over 120 executions, he realized that he couldn’t do it anymore.
The two convicted murderers both speak fairly openly about their lives, and though their guilt is unquestioned, each blames the other. One of the boys – and they are really just boys – was scheduled to be executed just a week after his segment was filmed. The other was spared death, and given a life sentence. The fact that the two perps were given different punishments is explained and just exposes how flawed this system is.
Whatever your stance on capital punishment, ‘Into the Abyss’ presents a lot to think about, and it’s one that you’ll want to discuss with friends afterwards.
INTO THE ABYSS is about a triple homicide that took place in Texas in the year 2000. The two culprits are interviewed, as are family members of the victims and police officers who investigated the case. Herzog remains detached throughout – we only hear his voice, and never his opinions. Some reviews have criticized the film for not explicitly saying “The Death Penalty is bad and should be abolished”, but I think that works to its credit. There is unremitting bleakness in the lives of just about everyone concerned; be prepared for stories of addiction, poverty, abandonment, homelessness and tragedy aplenty. This is such a profoundly sad film that no editorializing is required.
Besides, the film doesn’t need its director to step up and make any such statement. Two of the people interviewed – the Death Row chaplain, and a former lethal injection administrator – make such passionate cases that anything more would be superfluous. The latter, particularly, tells a devastating story of how, after being in charge of over 120 executions, he realized that he couldn’t do it anymore.
The two convicted murderers both speak fairly openly about their lives, and though their guilt is unquestioned, each blames the other. One of the boys – and they are really just boys – was scheduled to be executed just a week after his segment was filmed. The other was spared death, and given a life sentence. The fact that the two perps were given different punishments is explained and just exposes how flawed this system is.
Whatever your stance on capital punishment, ‘Into the Abyss’ presents a lot to think about, and it’s one that you’ll want to discuss with friends afterwards.