Movielogr
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000)
Directed by Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky
Twitter Facebook Google+Most recently watched by zombiefreak, noahphex
Overview
Revisiting the 1994 Arkansas murder of three 8-year-old boys and the three teenagers convicted of the crime. A follow up to Paradise Lost, Revelations features new interviews with the convicted men, as well as with the original judge and police investigators.
Rated NR | Length 130 minutes
Actors
Damien Wayne Echols | Jason Baldwin | Jessie Misskelley, Jr. | John Mark Byers | Kathy Bakken | Steven Branch | Christopher Byers | Melissa Byers | Pam Echols | Jessie Miskelly Sr.
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/10/2013 | TV | Streaming | Video on Demand | 3 stars |
| (Average) 3 stars |
Viewing Notes
Note that I use a 4-point scale.
The second of this real life trilogy completely jumps the shark compared to the first one. Whereas the first film stays entirely neutral, letting the audience decide innocence or guilt, the filmmakers clearly pick sides in Paradise Lost 2, for better or worse.
Paradise Lost 2 picks up 4 years after the events of Paradise Lost, and the Memphis Three - as they have come to been known - are older, wiser, and more upset that they’re in prison for a crime they claim they did not commit. The filmmakers agree with them, and they also seem to think that one of the victim’s fathers has something to do with their deaths, building up the film’s climax around the results of a lie detector test.
The story that the filmmakers are telling is absolutely gripping, and one can easily become obsessed with the details, which is why I love that this turned into a trilogy of films. But, on the other hand, I appreciated the first film’s neutral stance much more than this outing, and feel, overall, that movie isn’t quite up to par with the first one. This may be because the filmmakers were not allowed as much access to the courtroom drama, or because they focus too much on the eccentric and strange father of one of the victims.
That said, I cannot wait to dive into the third film in this trilogy where the Memphis Three find the vindication they deserve.
No comments yet. Log in and be the first!