Review: Lake of Fire (Documentary)

Lake of Fire (2006 Documentary) - Directed by Tony Kaye (American History X)

Abortion. Not a comfortable topic, even for people who support it. What I find most frustrating, is the tiny filmography of this director,with American History X being the only well known film that most people know about.

Lake of Fire, like the title suggests, goes to a very dark place. However, unlike most documentaries, this film truly gives each side a fair chance. Do women have the right to choose? The argument on both sides is balanced. Are they murderers? The documentary refuses to lean one way or another.
For me, the most disturbing scene in the film shows a partial birth abortion. Seeing a ground up fetus on a petri dish as the doctor shows the hands and the partial face was soul crushing. After this scene, I felt almost certain that Kaye would lean to the pro lifers. But wait! They are murderous nutjobs, who are ready to kill to save the unborn! And do! The film then shows autopsy photos of an aftermath of an assassination of a medical staff, who worked at an abortion clinic! The film continues to give each side a fair share of screen time, including women's rights groups, priests, some more religious nutjobs, scientists, and an interview of Norma L. McCorvey, of the Roe Vs. Wade courtcase.

While my opinion remains unchanged about abortion. I am against abortion as something casual, but I believe that if a woman really wants to, she will do it, even if it puts her own life at risk. I also believe that partial birth abortions are wrong, but that murdering someone is far worse and aren't even the same ballgame.

Overall I give this film a 95%
This film is masterfully paced, carefully balanced, and even given it's 152 min runtime it doesn't bore. It is harsh, brutal, disturbing, and if you can handle that, I recommend it.


Since this marks one of the most disturbing documentaries I've seen, I felt like sharing a Top 5 most disturbing documentaries.

Ren's Top 5 Most Disturbing Docs: Disturbing content below. You have been warned.

1. The Cannibal That Walked Free
 This is the most disturbing doc I ever saw. I shudder to think that they let this guy free. Even worse: People admire this murderous cannibal.
Warning: This doc also gets into the fetish zone, with an unsimulated urination scene...
http://documentaryheaven.com/the-cannibal-that-walked-free/

2. Tittucut Follies

A horrifying look at the treatment of mental patients in the 60s

3.  Deliver Us From Evil
This doc enraged me. Especially when the interviewed the Pedophile Priest, who should be in prison.


http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=qr6q3XYKSJc&ob=av1n&feature=mv_sr

4. Capturing the Friedman's
I found out about this documentary through The Film Vault's most disturbing docs podcast episode. Another film about pedophilia, except this time it's a last days look  at a family who is about to be seperated because of a courtcase.

5. How to Die in Oregon
A documentary about people choosing death over suffering with a terminal illness. I support the people's choice, but I was moved and disturbed by the subject matter of the film.