The Act of Killing

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Sage C The Act of Killing is a remarkable and absolutely gut-churning, edge of your seat/hidden beneath your blanket documentary. I’ve quite literally never seen anything like it. The film that comes to mind when I think to even try to compare the feeling you get watching it to anything else is Elem Klimov’s “Come and See”. The ability to capture the viewer in such entirety and commit them to the misery and truth of the reality before them is something that’s so rare, it truly holds an otherworldly power over the psyche that continues long after the screen goes black. Depravity and humanity (or lack there-of) go hand in hand in this film. The visceral reaction any viewer has to this is very real, extremely volatile, and eternally lasting. A true testament to Joshua Oppenheimers genius is the ability to capture all of this and more. Hats off and night light on. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/04/25 Full Review Becky J There are some films that stay with you long after the credits roll, and The Act of Killing is one of them. This documentary is unlike anything I’ve ever seen—it doesn’t just tell a story about mass killings in Indonesia, it forces the perpetrators to reenact their crimes in the style of the movies they love. Watching them eagerly stage these violent scenes as though they were action heroes or film stars was deeply unsettling. Anwar Congo, the central figure, initially boasts about his past, proudly demonstrating the methods he used to execute people. But as the film progresses, cracks start to show. Seeing him gradually realize the weight of his actions—without anyone explicitly telling him to—was both fascinating and disturbing. It’s a rare and haunting look at the psychology of those who commit atrocities and how they justify them to themselves. What makes this film so powerful is how it flips the true crime documentary format on its head. Instead of victims or historians recounting the events, we hear everything directly from the killers themselves. It’s shocking, surreal, and at times, almost hard to believe. But that’s what makes it so compelling. This isn’t an easy film to watch, but it’s an important one. The Act of Killing forces you to confront human cruelty in a way that’s impossible to ignore. It’s disturbing, thought-provoking, and completely unforgettable. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review Siao S This documentary has no graphic violence, but the perpetrators' nonchalant attitude towards their actions is even more chilling. After watching this documentary, I will think twice before revisit Java Island. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/11/23 Full Review Georgan G This horrific documentary tricked bad guys into filming their confessions. These circa 1965 mass murders had clearly been ok with their government, as no one was ever punished. Also clear that western countries were being complicit. Sad history presented as a movie within a movie. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the most important films of our generation Exposing the effects of Hollywood and media propaganda to inject fear into the masses and ultimately control them. A must watch Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Perhaps the most profound realisation ever captured on film. Even a monster cannot escape his morality. A very dark, and very recent history that is retold and re-enacted first-hand by its butchers, which still contains the faintest glimmer of hope. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Act of Killing

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