MovieChat Forums > The Look of Silence (2015) Discussion > Some thoughts after seeing the film

Some thoughts after seeing the film

posted 9 years ago by flaiky
8 replies | jump to latest

I thought The Act of Killing was sensational, so there was no way I could miss Oppenheimer's follow-up.

The Look of Silence makes a very interesting companion piece to TAoK. While the former film was a surreal exposé of the killers, this focusses on the family of one victim. It's like Oppenheimer's saying: I showed you who did it, what they're like, how they did it - now let's learn about the damage they did. TAoK, while shocking and disturbing, didn't really have this human element.

But this is definitely a more traditional documentary than its predecessor...which IMO makes it slightly less memorable. Also, we end up hearing much of the same shocking material again, since the majority of the film is Adi (the victim's younger brother) interviewing the perpetrators. I guess some could argue that the details have added weight when there's a direct family link, but personally I was constantly thinking about this (the impact on people and families) during TAoK anyway...

I sound negative, but of course TLoS is still extremely powerful and memorable. The scenes with Adi's parents, at their village home, are beautiful and something completely new: the benefit of this new film is that it contains a fascinating mini-social study - how often do you get to see into the home of an elderly Indonesian couple? His dad is 103, looks like a [barely] living skeleton, while his mum is formidable and fun. I loved her - she's the star of the film. And it's the dedication and tenderness - between Adi and his mum, between his mum and dad, between Adi and his daughter - that allow you to feel a bit better about humanity again (just).

I just can't help comparing TLoS to the bizarre, insane, totally unique TAoK and that's a hell of an Act (pun intended) to follow! But it is an excellent, deeply moving documentary. I suppose I just can't shift the feeling that this is essentially a supplement?

Please share your own thoughts, whether related to my points or not.

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

[–] seanmaster25 9 years ago

Just saw without seeing the first. Though it was incredible, really one of the best docs I've seen, how can one walk out of this without their own guts completely ripped out? That was easily the most disturbing film I've ever watched. I don't plan to see it again nor the first one. I simply can't bear it.

One question. Did they interview the guy that was in the main video? The one who had a smile on his face while he explained how he cut off the penis of Ramis? I was waiting for that scene but I don't think they ever interviewed him, right?

[–] flaiky 9 years ago

I had the same reaction as you after The Act of Killing, but as I said - this "sequel" deals with a lot of the same issues, so it wasn't as intensely powerful. I still found it deeply disturbing, of course. There's nothing to make you despair at humanity like these Oppenheimer films...

As for your question: didn't Adi interview the family of that guy (who is now dead)? Or was that the other man? Anyway, one of them didn't get any coverage.

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

[–] seanmaster25 9 years ago

Yeah that's what I thought I guess the other guy in that video wasn't in the movie at all. I'll probably watch the first one because of how great it probably is, but not for awhile lol. Even this one really got under my skin.

I've been reading some spiritual philosophy to change my worldview of life, and in one fell swoop this film almost rendered all of that meaningless. If mass murderers can do what they describe in this film, for absolutely no justified reason, and go on to live happy lives, what does that say about us? That question consumes me. But there were a few scenes where the killers got mad and simply wouldn't discuss it, so maybe their charades in the Act of Killing is a suppression of guilt, to convince themselves that they are in fact heroes? Life is confusing.

[–] Aswinning_11 9 years ago

For your question:

He died before they could interview him. At the end, they interview the widow and the sons. The lady appears briefly in a video where they're all talking in front of a house and they're looking at the drawing book.

[–] seanmaster25 9 years ago

Thanks! Idk how I missed that, but that's irritating, as watching that man go through what he did to his brother was so skin-boiling. That scene was a very good one nonetheless, seeing how the family was similarly suppressing what their father did as the living men were.

Do you know anything about the other guy? I was so shocked by the film that I missed who was who, but there were two guys there who did the walk-through of the execution and I'm guessing the other one wasn't found?

[–] sunnyboyin 9 years ago

The other guy's name is Inong and he's the first perpetrator interviewed by Adi (as per the documentary's sequence). If you recall, he describes the taste of human blood being salty & sweet, he also gruesomely describes killing a female victim and keeps saying (agitatedly) not to bring up politics in the conversation.

[–] jonasnilaus-785-664589 8 years ago

Yes! Me too! I couldn't get myself to watch the Act of Killing. I went ahead and watched "The Look of Silence" only because the murderers get challenged a bit..really got under my skin this one..not sure I can watch the first film.

[–] gortx 9 years ago

I agree with the O.P.. As sobering as the details and testimony in LOOK are, the bravura filmmaking in ACT OF KILLING make this seem more like a great DVD extra. It's still vital and worth seeing, but ACT will remain the better movie.