Review of Into the Abyss (2011) by Zeke T — 22 May 2012

Into the Abyss - CATCH IT (A-).

Into the Abyss : A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life, is a documentary film written and directed by Werner Herzog about two men convicted of a triple homicide which occurred in Conroe, Texas. Michael Perry received a death sentence for the crime, and Jason Burkett received a life sentence. The documentary focuses on the two convicts and various people affected by the crime.

The documentary shows Michael Perry, a man on death row convicted of murdering Sandra Stotler, a fifty-year-old nurse. He was suspected, but never charged, in two other murders which occurred in Conroe, Texas, with his accomplice Jason Burkett. Perry was convicted eight years earlier of the October 2001 murder, apparently committed in order to steal a car for a joyride. Perry denies that he was responsible for the killings, blaming Burkett (also appearing in the documentary) who was convicted of the other two murders. Burkett, who received a lesser life sentence for his involvement, likewise blames Perry. Perry's final interviews for the film were recorded only 8 days before his execution on July 1, 2010. The film also includes interviews with victims' families and law enforcement officers. Burkett's wife appears in the film, a free woman who met and married Burkett after his conviction. They were only allowed contact by holding hands under guarded supervision, but she claims to be pregnant with his child. In the documentary, Herzog implies that Burkett's wife was maybe able to conceive by using Contraband method to meet his inmate husband. Though wife smiles but never admitted to the Contraband and insists its an artificial insemination.

Into the Abyss is the perfect example of how one moment and wrong decision can change your life forever. The best thing about the documentary is that it's not about any agenda if simply shows a life of a convict on death row and life of a convict on life imprisonment. The documentary also takes a deep look into people affected by the brutal killings for a car.

The director's point of view for this documentary is simply by putting people on death row won't bring the killed people back so it should not happened. Though I won't agree with this point of view as in this case defiantly they were teenagers and we do feel bad for the kids who never got proper home or family to know what's good of bad in life. But there are many criminals who do bad things for pleasure so defiantly a death row is only the solution for those criminals.

On the whole, I had tears in my eyes the whole time while watching Into the Abyss. Not only it's emotionally strong but it's just simply takes you back to the harsh realities of life which we all try to ignore. Strongly recommended.