Review of The Act of Killing (2012) by Graham B — 31 Dec 2013
When the government of Indonesia was overthrown by the military in 1965, small time gangsters were recruited to become death squad leaders, helping the army torture and kill over a million suspected communists. To this day they are still treated as heroes and respected leaders in Indonesia.
8 years in the making, Joshua Oppenheimer interviews many of these death squad leaders and asks them to make short films showing their acts of killing in anyway they choose. Lead by Anwar Congo, they film in the style of the Western cinema they love so much. From gangster noir, cowboy western and even lavish musical numbers, this is a deeply disturbing piece of filmmaking. The way these men talk about their crimes with no regret and very little and rather staged remorse, is jaw-dropping.
Due to the nature of the film, it lacks a documentary commentary and also a bit more historical content wouldn't have gone amiss, however it is a captivating film and a very brave venture. The Indonesian co-director and most of the crew have remained anonymous in the credits for fear of reprisal.
This review of The Act of Killing (2012) was written by Graham B on 31 Dec 2013.
The Act of Killing has generally received very positive reviews.
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