Muhammad Arshad

Student Name Professor Name Subject Code Dated Film Review Introduction The Act of Killing (2012) is a chilling documentary about the dark side of human nature, power, and control. Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, the film follows two former Indonesian death-squad leaders as they reenact some of their most notorious crimes during the 1965 Indonesian genocide using Hollywood-style reenactments in dramatic recreations that have been compared to scenes from The Godfather. It was an award-winning documentary that follows the Indonesian government’s efforts to bring members of the country’s death squads to justice by encouraging them to reenact their killings on film. Analyze rhetorical and persuasive strategies employed by the filmmaker and film The Act of Killing The Act of Killing was a documentary film released in 2012 that featured never-before-seen footage of the Indonesian genocide. The rhetorical and persuasive strategies employed by the filmmaker and film highlighted the reluctance of perpetrators to be honest with themselves and society, not just about their crimes but also about the reasons why they committed them. The most important part is to recognize these strategies for what they are: strategies designed to manipulate our sympathies and keep us from fully comprehending how genocide can happen in our own time. Evaluate how those rhetorical and persuasive strategies impacted you. The rhetorical and persuasive strategies in The Act of Killing range from the extremely overt (such as repeatedly showing the consequences of murder on the victims' families, which is meant to elicit sympathy for them) to the extremely subtle (such as choosing a slow-motion scene that implies how long it took for her brother's head to be smashed against a rock). These different strategies—and their results—are deeply disturbing. The film does not attempt to hide the fact that many of the people who killed were not just anti-communists but also sadistic criminals who enjoyed killing people. This was an important point because it shows us what happens when someone has no reason to restrain themselves from committing crimes: they become monsters. The film also shows us the impact of these crimes on the victims' family members, who are still alive today and suffer greatly because of the loss of their loved ones. What were your views on the topic before seeing the film and what are your views now? My reviews of this movie were very mixed before seeing the film. I knew that it was a documentary, but I didn’t know much else about it. After watching the film, my views have changed dramatically. I found myself disturbed by the fact that these men had not been brought to justice for their crimes and that they were so proud of what they had done. The filmmakers obviously wanted to show how brutal and terrible these men were, but they also showed how normal and even charismatic they could be as well. If the documentary changed your views, will you change your actions? Why and how, or why not?   The documentary, The Act of Killing, is a film directed by Joshua Oppenheimer. It is a documentary that follows the Indonesian death squad leaders who are responsible for the murder of approximately 1 million people from 1965-to 1966. The film shows the death squad leaders reenacting their crimes in a very unique way. In the beginning, I thought it was interesting to see how they dealt with the past and how they were able to live with themselves after killing so many people. After watching the movie, my views on the topic have changed because now I am more aware of what happened in Indonesia during the time period. The movie really opened my eyes to the fact that there are millions of people out there who have done horrible things but still get away with them without being punished. After seeing the movie, I would like to do something similar where I can help bring justice back into our society. The documentary has helped me realize the importance of taking action against the bad things happening around us instead of just sitting back and letting it happen. The power we have as humans should not be taken lightly and we should not let others take advantage of us anymore. We need to stand up for ourselves no matter what the situation may be or who might try to stop us from doing so. There are always ways to change the world around us, we just need to find them first! References Joshua Oppenheimer, A. C. (Director). (2012). The Act of Killing [Motion Picture].