Assassins

Released Dec 11, 2020

1h 44m

Documentary

Biography

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98%

43 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

The audacious murder of the brother of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jon Un in a crowded Malaysian airport sparked a worldwide media frenzy. At the center of the investigation are two young women who are either cold-blooded killers or unwitting pawns in a political assassination. ASSASSINS goes beyond the headlines to question every angle of this case, from human trafficking to geo-political espionage to the secretive dynamics of the North Korean dynasty.

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Critics Consensus

A deft and illuminating journalistic investigation, Assassins depicts the mechanics of North Korean politics to a chilling effect.

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Ronald B

Great documentary. It brought me to tears. I havent cried in decades. The females though nievely innocent were going to be executed. The lawyers were powerless but were compassionate. Malaysia had zero care in the world who was behind it and tge governent made it clear to Malaysia judicial system to find them guilty alone. They just wanted them to pay. Never say never, but I will never visit that corrupt country. You can see that they doctored the video and increased speed during certan movements of the "prank". I thanked God they were not executed and the total innocence of these two woman who thought they were becoming rich and future stars. Is incredible to see how their confidence was evolving. There posture, their manerisms. I think duong was more disturbed that it wasnst real because she thought it was her ticket to fame. Siti was just doing it for cash to send home and sold her body. No one will ever pay for the crime. That means it was genius then. God bless these females and I hope they are ok. So glad they were not killed. That would of taken away all my hope as a human society and it would of effected me forever. The girls were not nieve. This isnt a common crime. The girls were expertly duped. After getting paid hundreds for what were actually practice pranks numerous times it was impossible for them to think it was a murder plot. The mastermind was a mastermind of clickbait and YouTube fake and society. Bless us all.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/09/23

Full Review

Robert L

I appreciated the story being in English, first of all. The journalist with his note pad kept us informed. Just like him, we believed that Siti and Doan were pawns. As he wrote in the margins of his note pad, they were f****d! The hangman's noose is waiting, and we are certain that someone must pay. Will they?

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/07/22

Full Review

isla s

This is an intrguing documentary. I remember hearing the story in the news a few years ago and certainly Korea (esp. North Korea) is well known for being incredibly secretive as far as their royalty and government is concerned. Its a good, solid documentary. I felt it was interesting in terms of the media/press perspectives, the way the legal case developed and so on. If your interested in the story or North Korea in general, then I'd recommend this documentary, yes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This doc provides an interesting deep dive into the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, as well as the resulting trial. There was enough new info in this, more so regarding the legal aspects of the case, to keep me pretty engaged. The makers loaded this thing with primary sources which is always a plus even if the eventual conclusions reached may never be proven definitively.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Tony S

Despite being quite informative, thanks to apparent lawyers, who had provided all the evidence and investigation's time line to the filmmakers. They also inherited from them the tune of the smallest violin. Playing for two girls in mid 20's who were tricked, step by step into committing an assassination because two millennial women somehow think, that smearing baby oil on someone's face is a knee slapper, worthy to be funded by Japanese prank channels. It's really hard to even decide who should you applaud harder, North Koreans who actually made this wacky plot work or the girls for simply being too naive to not see the poopy field of red flags. I obviously think, that documentary does prove its case, that they were unaware and obviously shouldn't be hanged. But the pity song playing for these girl is too prevalent in the narrative. I don't think stupidity should be a viable defense for a manslaughter even unintentional one. Them walking away down the road. Telling audience, that "They learned something today" is as phony as you can get.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/22

Full Review

wdq e

was pretty invested in first half but the resolution was underwhelming

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Ryan White

Director

Siti Aisyah

Self

Anna Fifield

Self

Doan Thi Huong

Self

Doug Bock Clark

Executive Producer

Dan Cogan

Executive Producer

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Assassins: Trailer 1

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David Stratton

The Australian

This is an extraordinary story and the thorough manner in which White has assembled the material brings one of the most unusual political assassinations ever carried out vividly to life.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 13, 2021

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

Well-worth checking out.

Feb 12, 2021

Full Review

Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

[White] spins the arrest of Siti Aisyah and Doan Thi Huong - economic migrants from Indonesia and Vietnam respectively - into a parable about political corruption.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 31, 2021

Full Review

Victoria Luxford

City AM

As with Ryan Fogels similarly embattled The Dissident, you leave this film with a sobering realisation of the strength governments have to silence opponents, as well as the frightening absence of consequences.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 2, 2022

Full Review

Lydia Wang

Bust Magazine

The film truly comes alive when White focuses on the assassins and, with empathy and nuance, explores both how these women ended up in such an unbelievable situation, and why their stories matter now.

Mar 12, 2021

Full Review

Therese Lacson

Nerdophiles

Assassins will enlighten Western viewers... [on] the assassination of Kim Jong Nam and shed light on the harrowing and intriguing events surrounding it.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 3, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

The audacious murder of the brother of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jon Un in a crowded Malaysian airport sparked a worldwide media frenzy. At the center of the investigation are two young women who are either cold-blooded killers or unwitting pawns in a political assassination. ASSASSINS goes beyond the headlines to question every angle of this case, from human trafficking to geo-political espionage to the secretive dynamics of the North Korean dynasty.

Director: Ryan White
Producer: Doug Bock Clark, Dan Cogan, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Blaine Vess, Esther Vess
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Tripod Media
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: Vietnamese
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 11, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 15, 2021
Runtime: 1h 44m

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