The Act of Killing

Unrated

3/2/20131h 57m

Premiere Release (US)

~ A story of killers who win, and the society they build. ~

Overview:

In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various film genres, from gangster epics to musicals. As they recreate their past atrocities, the line between reality and performance blurs, exposing the lingering impact of Indonesia’s 1965-66 anti-communist purge and the unsettling psychology of its perpetrators.

Director:

Joshua Oppenheimer

Status:

Released

Language:

Indonesian

Buget:

$1,000,000.00

Revenue:

$722,714.00

Key words:

corruption
indonesia
genocide
indonesian genocide
political documentary
social & cultural documentary

Cast

Anwar Congo

~ as ~

Self - Executioner in 1965

Herman Koto

~ as ~

Self - Gangster & Paramilitary Leader

Syamsul Arifin

~ as ~

Self - Governor of North Sumatra

Ibrahim Sinik

~ as ~

Self - Newspaper Publisher

Yapto Soerjosoemarno

~ as ~

Self - Leader of Pancasila Youth

Safit Pardede

~ as ~

Self - Local Paramilitary Leader

Jusuf Kalla

~ as ~

Self - Vice President of Indonesia

Adi Zulkadry

~ as ~

Self - Fellow Executioner in 1965

Suryono

~ as ~

Self - Anwar's Neighbor

Haji Marzuki

~ as ~

Self - Member of North Sumatra Parliament

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

Arrrrrrrach
Written 8 year(s) ago
10
The synopsis is available elsewhere and I have no idea how to review a film like this so here are a few simple lines: I have never seen anything remotely like this and would go as far as to say that it is one of the most honest portrayals of several aspects of the human psyche I have ever experienced in any medium. It's not a pleasant film but I can't give it any less than full marks for its bravery, arrogance and honesty when dealing with an uncomfortable aspect of our species.

Joshua Oppenheimer (dir.) understands the social norms of his subjects' environment and also their own egos and greed, shows us so that we also understand and then uses all he has learned to get them to openly reveal all directly to the audience, pretty much by luring them. It's obvious that with the backstory and footage used he already had more than enough for a documentary film and it seems as though he thought 'I have a better plan' and then made this film instead, in the ultimate quest for knowledge. Beyond words and essential.

Note: There is a companion to this called 'The Look of Silence', which is a different type of film altogether and one that sheds much extra light onto the the events of this time and place but from a different perspective and this is also recommended, albeit not as strongly.