Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various film genres. 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.
The Act of Killing is one of the most audacious and disturbing documentaries ever made. Its central conceit — having actual perpetrators of mass murder reenact their killings in the style of Hollywood genres — is wholly unprecedented, earning a deserved 4 for Novelty. The structural arc builds to a genuinely devastating ending as Anwar Congo confronts what he has done, making the Ending exceptional. The Plot, if it can be called that, is brilliantly constructed around escalating psychological revelation. Acting is harder to score in a documentary context — the perpetrators perform with a grotesque sincerity, though the category is inherently limited by the form. Cinematography is strong and purposeful but serves the subject rather than distinguishing itself visually, landing at a solid 3.