Review of West of Memphis (2012) by Jj M — 21 Aug 2013

Amazing how many critics believed that the level of celebrity involvement in the film (and the WM3 campaign over the years) overshadowed the actual act of the child murders. This just isn't true and with a more leveled and reasoned position, it is very clear that throughout the documentary we are constantly reminded of the horrorific act of the killings. The point of the film (and the three Paradise Lost documentaries that preceeded it) is to search for the truth at all costs and in this day and age, getting the story out to the masses can be a huge profitable benefit to that quest. So what if high profile directors and actors were involved in that? I'm glad I know more about this story now and I was extremely pleased with the ending/recent outcome of events.

Although it is deeply disturbing to watch, it is a powerful feature that resonates deep down in the soul. The incredibly ridiculous trial that led to the three young men being imprisoned for life, one of them put on death row, becomes more and more enraging as the film progresses but it is the spiralling web of lies and the despicable representation of humanity by a few select individuals, which the film focuses on, that makes every nerve in the body twitch uncomfortably. A must-see real-life tale.