Feb 22, 2018
Today’s movie is “Into The Abyss” (2011), Werner Herzog’s documentary about death row inmate Michael Perry, convicted of murdering three individuals in Conroe, Texas. Subtitled “A Tale of Death, a Tale of Life”, the film reviews the crime itself, the series of events leading to his arrest, some history from the town in which it happened, and the eventual execution of Perry.
I’m definitely in the bag for Werner Herzog. I don’t think I’ve seen a film of his I didn’t like, if not love. And I’m a fan for two reasons. First, he always brings unique perspectives to every subject, fictional or otherwise. And second, because he puts a lot of trust into the viewer with each project, rarely wasting time explaining complex themes, letting the work speak for itself whenever possible.
“Into The Abyss” is kind of like the opposite of Errol Morris’ “The Thin Blue Line”. Morris was able to create a documentary about how the judicial system got things wrong, whereas Herzog has created a documentary about the judicial system getting things right, at least in terms of the conviction. Herzog makes it very clear early on that he is against the death penalty, but this film isn’t really about the death penalty so much as the reality of the process around it.
Herzog doesn’t narrate this documentary, preferring to use subtitles to add detail, letting the interviews speak for themselves, and letting the minimalist score speak during the transitions. It works most of the time, except for a few clumsy scenes involving picture frames, and works well to compliment Herzog’s sectioned documentary style, even with high brow titles like “Time and Emptiness” and “The Urgency of Life”.
“Into the Abyss” (2011) is a great documentary that brings multiple, conflicting perspectives to complex subject material. Rather than a simplified for/against message, Herzog explores the social and emotional effects of the process for everyone involved. If you dig Herzog, then you’ll enjoy this documentary. And if you don’t, then this is a good place to start.
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (CERTIFIED)
Metacritic: 74
One Movie Punch: 7.8/10
“Into The Abyss” is rated PG-13 and is currently streaming on Hulu and Netflix.