The defence The Auteur Devotee
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
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Into the Abyss
Documentary · Crime · 2011
We do not know when and how we will die. Death Row inmates do. Werner Herzog embarks on a dialogue with Death Row inmates, asks questions about life and death and looks deep into these individuals, their stories, their crimes.
Movie details
Into the Abyss
“A gaze into the abyss of the human soul.”
2011 Documentary · Crime 1h 45m
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
7.3 / 10
17.5K votes
Rotten Tomatoes
92 %
Tomatometer
Metacritic
74 / 100
Metascore
TMDB
6.9 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
We do not know when and how we will die. Death Row inmates do. Werner Herzog embarks on a dialogue with Death Row inmates, asks questions about life and death and looks deep into these individuals, their stories, their crimes.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Into the Abyss?
For the defence
The Auteur Devotee
“You watch the director, not the movie.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
The Fear of 13
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The Investigation of Lucy Letby
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An engaging and thought-provoking look at Lucy Letby, the former nurse serving life in prison after being convicted of the murders of seven infants and the attempted murders of seven others.
Cameraperson
Documentary · 2016
As a visually radical memoir, CAMERAPERSON draws on the remarkable footage that filmmaker Kirsten Johnson has shot and reframes it in ways that illuminate moments and situations that have personally affected her. What emerges is an elegant meditation on the relationship between truth and the camera frame, as Johnson transforms scenes that have been presented on Festival screens as one kind of truth into another kind of story—one about personal journey, craft, and direct human connection.
Heart of a Dog
Documentary · 2015
Lyrical and powerfully personal essay film that reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, her beloved dog, and such diverse subjects as family memories, surveillance, and Buddhist teachings.
Sidney
Documentary · 2022
This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.
Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir
Documentary · 2012
An interview with film director Roman Polanski conducted during his period of house arrest, discussing his life and work.
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20
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An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye
Documentary · 2022
Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.
American Teen
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A documentary on seniors at a high school in a small Indiana town and their various cliques.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Werner Herzog
Written by
Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog
Narrator (voice)
J
Jason Burkett
Self - Convicted Murderer
R
Richard Lopez
Self - Death House Chaplin (as The Reverend Richard Lopez)
D
Damon Hall
Self - Montgomery County Sheriff's Department
L
Lisa Stolter-Balloun
Self - Daughter and Sister to Victims
C
Charles Richardson
Self - Older Brother of Jeremy
J
Jared Talbert
Self - Citizen of Conroe Texas
Court is in session
Put Into the Abyss on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.