FilmSnobReviews

Title: Assassins
MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated
Director: Ryan White
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins

What It Is: In this true-crime documentary, we explore the strange happening in which two young women are recorded and convicted of assassinating North Korean royal family member Kim Jong-Nam in a Malaysian airport. The two deny any malicious or deadly intentions, that they weren’t expecting the event to result in the man’s death after rubbing his eyes and face with a dangerous chemical. What follows is an investigation into how these seemingly normal people ended up murdering a famous figure from a ruthless country.

What We Think: A really incredible and haunting situation to be bared to and will definitely make you think twice about which strangers and employers you decide to trust. I’ll say that much; otherwise, this is a very-well composed documentary that brings forward a really sort of terrifying incident that (much like in The Dissident) also happened to be sort of forgotten and swept under the rug when it comes to the eye of American media due to the relationship between governments and the pressure to keep them civil (I suppose). I am so happy that this is being brought to my attention and feel I have all the evidence and information I need on this particular situation in order to stand up for it; it is a hefty reminder that the needs and wants by authority will be fulfilled at any level, manipulating whoever and however many people they want to. It’s yet another example of the startling influence of government and media and the malleability of the opinions of everyday people. It is the danger and tragedy of a hive-mind mentality.

Our Grade: B, Politics, in the end, is just business. Human concerns and humanity are often left outside in the rain when important discourse in the conference room goes down–this documentary reflects that. I highly recommend this crazy story and the thought process that follows concerning the safety of individuals in the face of authoritative adversity.