Into the Deep review: Well executed true-crime documentary

Netflix’s Into the Deep is an investigative documentary film by Australian filmmaker Emma Sullivan that sheds light on the murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall by Danish inventor Peter Madsen in 2017.

Story

Into the Deep talks about the catastrophic day of August 10, 2017 when Madsen and Wall went aboard the former’s self-made submarine, the UC3 Nautilus, in Køge Bugt, Denmark.

Wall intended to interview Madsen for a story about his competition with his old company Copenhagen Suborbitals and his former friend, Kristian von Bengtson.

The police got involved after Wall was reported missing and the search began. The submarine was discovered the next morning in Køge Bay and sunk a little while later.

Madsen was the only one found and revealed that he dropped Wall off on land the previous evening. However, she hadn’t gotten in touch with anyone, creating suspicion around Madsen’s story.

He was eventually arrested on August 11, 2017 for negligent manslaughter after he confessed that Wall died onboard after an unfortunate accident. He mentioned that the submarine hatch cover dropped on the journalist’s head, killing her.

However, as the investigations picked up speed, the revelations sent shockwaves across the country and ousted a side of Madsen no one knew about.

Positives

Into the Deep feels really intimate when it comes to revealing information about the incident. Emma Sullivan does well to paint an unbiased picture of Peter Madsen.

There are two sides to this documentary film, the pre and post August 10, 2017. The narrative progresses naturally from focusing on RML’s functioning and Madsen’s genius inventions to unearthing a previously unknown psychopathic side of the Danish inventor.

This ability to adapt and turn a celebratory film into an investigative one is commendable by the former Doctor Who director, and she manages to stick the landing.

Into the Deep also succeeds in connecting Madsen’s actions to previous comments made by him in the film before the murder which even the court found instrumental during his conviction.

Negatives

The pacing is quite fast and sometimes it can get tough to retain all the information being thrown out at you. A slightly longer runtime with enough breathing space for all the updates could have helped Into the Deep.

Furthermore, the narrative moves in a very non-linear way which can be tough to keep up with. It keeps switching from moments leading up to the crime and the proceedings after the crime at random.

A more chronological telling of the story would have been a much better way to stay in sync with the numerous developments associated with this case.

Verdict

Into the Deep is a well-crafted and gritty documentary film about a harrowing crime that deserves to be a part of your watchlists. It is another worthy addition into Netflix’s true-crime content library.

Into the Deep
Into the Deep review: Well executed true-crime documentary 1

Director: Emma Sullivan

Date Created: 2022-09-30 22:45

Editor's Rating:
3.5

Also Read: Into the Deep explained: Was Peter Madsen found guilty?

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