Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life

The Scotsman“A film full of despair, but also compelling...” A moving, disturbing and quietly angry film that delves into the complex emotions surrounding capital punishment and subtly rails against both the societal emptiness that induces crime and the void it leaves in those left to pick up the pieces...

Little White Lies“The master turns his eye to death row...” Moving and thought-provoking in equal measure. A Herzog documentary of the highest order...

Evening Standard“Herzog draws out the inmates' stories, and they are hard to forget...” Some fans who cherish Herzog's wackiness will have found this film a bit reserved, even conventional. But its poise, its equableness and attentiveness give it great power and open up its meaning far beyond this grim corner of Texas...

Guardian“A sombre, thoughtful, restrained and often powerful piece of work...” It's a decent film, though I felt that a clearer, sharper light could have been cast on the defendants themselves...

The Telegraph“Death often becomes Herzog, but sadly not this time...” Unfortunately, almost everyone either misunderstands Herzog's questions or gives boring answers, in which the glints of truth are larded over with Southern-fried religiosity and glib Hallmark sentiments...

Total Film “Compassionate portrait of life in death’s shadow...” Herzog’s tapestry testifies to life’s light from death’s darkness. Its honest humanity and sideways-on character bare his illuminating imprint...

Time Out“Gripping, moving and revelatory...” The result is gripping, moving and revelatory, an unabashed if implicit critique of the death penalty. The abyss looms dark indeed but the picture pulses with the insistent peculiarities of life as it is lived by wilful individuals...