Review of Into the Abyss (2011) by Nabil H — 30 Mar 2012

INTO THE ABYSS - 6 out of 10 On TV at the moment there is a TV series running called " Death Row" which is directed by Werner Herzog . Obviously while filming the series ( or visa versa) he made this film . Released in the UK this week , Into The Abyss is an interesting look at death row and one of it's inmates but sadly not half as interesting as the the TV series.

I like Werner Herzog. He's the most German sounding German your ever likely to hear but with it he's a very interesting film maker. He is extremely honest in his direction and has a charming naivety about him that makes his film extremely watchable.

This film follows inmate Michael Perry who , along with an accomplice killed three people without reason or thought. We see scene of crime videos which are quite harrowing and interviews with Perry himself and he seems like a reasonable young man . He admits he did the murders yet seems unfased about it. The problem is , is that Herzog does not pressure him enough about why he did it or even what he is going through on Death Row.

Because of that the film is quite boring and quite sterile.

Another problem is the lack of time he gets with the inmate and that he had no time with him close to his execution.

This could have been so much better but I feel Herzog had his hands tied which prevented him making the film he really wanted to show.