The subject of this documentary is definitely one of those cases of truth being stranger than fiction. I won't go into the details of the story, as this is a film you should approach knowing as little as possible about in order to maximise the surprise and tension generated by its twisting and turning narrative, but broadly it concerns the assassination of a North Korean exile and the subsequent trial of those accused of his murder. The documentary is very well constructed, with the information on the various individuals involved being slowly drip fed, flash back style, over the events of the trial itself. It has the pacing and structure of a classic 70s spy thriller - although this plot is so outlandish it would be deemed preposterous if it weren't actual true. The access to the various participants is excellent & the makers have gathered a wealth of video from CCTV, news & social media to supplement their own footage, so as a viewer it never feels like you are being short changed. It is all very one sided; its clear where the filmmaker's sympathies lie, but then again the North Koreans were never going to participate in a film like this. All in all this documentary is every bit as enjoyable as a regular drama / thriller & keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the end - I would highly recommend it.
Review of Assassins
