Review of Into the Abyss (2011) by Rolf J — 08 Nov 2012

Werner Herzog's 'Into the Abyss' is a mind-blowing, I'd say, set of stories built around the murders committed by Michael Perry with the assistance of Jason Burkett. Herzog's documentary unravels through these intimate interviews many of which are truly golden, though when Herzog speaks with Charles Richardson the older brother of one of the victims Herzog as an interviewer gives two framed photographs of the victim to the brother. The second thing he does is himself stating his opinion on a big part of the story, which is the death penalty. I found these interferences to make Herzog's role as an controlling element very evident. But aside from the just mentioned, Herzog's role as the man behind the camera is used well and the viewer is given a multitude of astonishing interviews. For me, particularly the interviews with Jason Burkett's father are nothing short of amazing. He has the insight of an older generation and as someone looking even further back than the two protagonists. When he explains how he testified in court about Jason's upbringing with a father in prison, a mother with disabilities, himself having neuroblastomas and three other poor siblings it makes you go 'ah'. Even more compelling is how the father tells of his embarrassment of sitting with his two sons in jail eating together at thanksgiving, while they maybe thought it was sort of cool.

In the end the question Herzog raises where he doesn't make his own opinion obvious (as in the question of death penalty) is in the question of the human psyche. You're left with the realization that we do not know in any way why Michael Perry choose to commit the violent crimes he did. I noticed that it was mentioned a couple of times that Perry had a supportive family, apparently fully healthy as any other, or at least supportive - unlike Jason Burkett's. But Perry committed the murders and he faced death row, but how could it happen? I don't know and that is a strange feeling where i'm in awe of the fact that there seemingly is no answer.