7.5/10
This is certainly an original and surreal documentary. Produced by Werner Herzog, at times it feels like the best documentary he never directed. it certainly has a lot of his hallmarks, down to wondering just how much of what you're seeing is real and how much is scripted. And Anwar Congo is as incredible a figure as you would find in a Herzog doc, one of those creatures too unfathomable to be fiction.
Congo is filmed recreating his crimes as aggressor and as victim, as well as revisiting places from his gangster past and even recreating the dreams that continue to haunt him. We're led to believe this reveals some kind of truth to Anwar, who finally seems remorseful by the end of the "exercise", although it's shown so briefly and alongside so many other fantastic scenes it's hard not to question its authenticity.
I wasn't as enamored with the movie as I thought I would be - it's a little long and feels like a bit of a smoke-and-mirrors act at times, and I wondered a couple of times if the 2 and a half hours wouldn't be better spent educating people more about these crimes instead of partially glorifying them for the sake of a quick payoff at the film's end. What, if anything, Congo has learned from his experience making the film is completely given to the ether. But it's certainly interesting and completely unique and I appreciate it for that.
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