Review of Lake of Fire (2006) by Bobby F — 18 Aug 2008

First off, a warning to those feint of heart: DO NOT WATCH. EXTREMELY GRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY. =).

That said, while this movie definitely provides some insight into the abortion debate, in the end it is hardly the comprehensive film it touts itself to be. Tony Kaye does an excellent job of empathizing with all involved parties, but ultimately the film is extremely emotional with very little actual information provided. The use of graphic imagery and heart wrenching stories is extremely effective, but there is maybe 10 minutes of this film which actually provides any statistics or genuine reasoning; it is a complete appeal to gut. Tony Kaye's goal with the film was to get people on both sides to feel a little more understanding of each other, and I suppose it would be effective to that end. But what about those of us who already understand that this is emotionally complex? Kaye also sets up a false paradigm between ultra-religious Christians and Atheists as though these are the two primary groups which have a say in the debate. Tony Kaye also suffers from a fairly typical problem: thinking there are only two groups of people in the world, Christians and atheists. With literally hours of content focusing on religion, not once are perspectives on abortion introduced from Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, or any other major religion.

Worth watching for those deeply interested, and extremely well-made. But don't expect to learn much. Ultimately, the film is probably more directed at the extremists on both sides than people who are in the more reasonable middle.