The Act of Killing (2012)

DVD CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  122 Minutes (Director’s Cut: 162 Minutes) 

Rated: 15    

Genre: Documentary, Biography, Crime

Director: Joshua Oppenheimer, Anonymous, Christine Cynn

Starring: Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin, Ibrahim Sinik, Yapto Soerjosoemarno

IMDB Rank: 8.2/10

Part 1 Time:  72 Minutes  (Director’s Cut:  90 Minutes) 

Part 2 Time:  50 Minutes (Director’s Cut:  72 Minutes) 

Where does the first part end? 

Theatrical: Herman Koto (Self) lies on a bed with his daughter chewing bubble gum. He was not elected to parliament.

Director’s Cut: Anwar (Self) and Herman watch a reenactment of their filmed assassination. Anwar responds to the question of whether the children of those he murdered would enjoy the film.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: 

Theatrical: “They look happy, but inside they’re pissed off! F*** this shit. they’re thinking.” Herman describes how Indonesian politician rallies are organised and the mindset of those attending.

Director’s Cut: “Sure, but… if they know what this film is about…they won’t want to see it. But if they don’t know, they’ll want to see it,” Anwar responds.

First line of dialogue on the second part: 

Theatrical: The opening scene shows Anwar feeding ducks with no dialogue. The following scene then shows someone dressed in a costume, supposedly one of the ghosts that haunts Anwar. “In my dreams, they have threatening voices,” states Anwar.

Director’s Cut: “Where’s the injured one?” Anwar grandchildren search for ducks.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Chilling, as the film recounts the mass-killings of former Indonesian death-squad leaders. With all the brutality and corruption on full display, the film really shows the dark side of human nature.

Which part is better? It is strongly recommended to watch the director’s cut version of the film, in order to get a full understanding of the crimes against humanity that began in the 1965 Indonesian coup (which continue to permeate fear in present day Indonesia). Part two, brings the documentary full circle as Anwar begins puts himself in the position of someone being interrogated and tortured. An uncomfortable film, that once seen cannot be forgotten.

Academy Awards: 2014 Best Documentary Features (Nominated)