Into the Abyss

German filmmaker Werner Herzog is known for his fascinating documentaries, and Into the Abyss is no exception. This 2011 documentary focuses on guilt, forgiveness and the death penalty. Herzog interviews both perpetrators and survivors of a triple murder case in Conroe, Texas. One of the people he talks to is 28-year-old death row inmate Michael Perry, just eight days before his execution. The conversations reveal the complex emotions and moral questions surrounding the justice system and the value of a human life. 

The filmmaker's unique style, and his philosophical perspective on the human experience, gives the film a depth beyond the traditional crime documentary. While meeting the families of victims and perpetrators, as well as a state executioner and a pastor, Herzog still finds humanity in the most ominous circumstances and forms a subtle pamphlet against the death penalty, without falling into simplistic judgements.