Review of Lake of Fire (2006) by Kevin D — 02 May 2008
This film, shot and edited beautifully in black and white (ironically!) is a documentary (THE documentary, apparently) about abortion. There is a great original score, and lots of footage of the controversy and to-do swirling around the issue. The film is comprised largely of interviews with thinkers and those in the fray or in the situation...
It is quite stirring - beautiful and terrible. It provokes many feelings, but mainly that of personal responsibility, to which it eventually boils down the issue and rightly so, I believe.
In me, it also provoked anger -.
IT IS NOT AT ALL UNBIASED in its examination of thought on the issue. This film does not turn its gaze upon as many eloquent, credible pro-lifers as I would have liked it to. There is one notable example, but the impression it leaves is that most on the Pro-life side are religious fanatics and fundamentalists, motivated by aggression and politics. This is dishonest and occurs to a shameful degree in what is supposed to be the benchmark doc on the issue.
There was a disappointing absence of Catholicism - in fact most of the films portrayal of Catholic ideas on the issue is slanted to an offensive, almost cartoonish degree (was that collared asshole even an ordained preist!!??).
One must understand that, while not huge on the American idealogical front, the Catholic church likely possesses the greatest depth and breadth of thought on the pro-life side of the issue and has been on the issue since it became one. This film either cowers away from that (due to its pro-life stance) or just denies/overlooks it irresponsibly.
The best of its pro-life input may come from its unflinching portrayal of the reality that humans get sucked out of the uterus (and mangled) in an abortion.
The pro-choice input is obviously strong and only occasionally a little off.
What is amazing about this film is to hear about those who stand (and think and decide) in between the two groups of idiots yelling rhetoric and spewing bile...
I can't get this movie out of my head. I am not Pro-Life or Pro-Choice. I stand in between them all and am very mad that this film was hailed as being "comprehensive". Fuck that.
...I'll let it keep its four stars though, because it was pretty darn good, for what it was.
This review of Lake of Fire (2006) was written by Kevin D on 02 May 2008.
Lake of Fire has generally received very positive reviews.
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