Lake of Fire

Given the present American political climate, in which abortion continues to be an intensely controversial subject, Tony Kaye's documentary chronicle of the ongoing debate can't help but strike a nerve. Lake of Fire, the result of nearly two decades' work on the director's part, is a remarkable achievement, a film at once both unflinching and evenhanded, offering people on both sides—including the most extreme pro-choice and pro-life voices—the opportunity to express themselves, uncensored. Thus Norma McCorvey, otherwise known as the “Jane Roe” of the ground-breaking 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, talks about her change of heart and recent work with the radical pro-life group Operation Rescue, while a battered woman choosing an abortion admits to the emotional cost but insists it's the correct decision for her. Even in visual terms the sense of balance is extraordinary: on the one hand, there are graphic images of an aborted fetus with emerging body parts clearly visible, but on the other there are grisly photos of doctors murdered by abortion foes, as well as interviews with disfigured victims of attacks on clinics. A viewer's existing point of view will inevitably color his or her reaction to much of the material, but Kaye's film is to be commended for capturing both the enormity of the moral issues at stake and the vastness of the divide between partisans on either side. Ultimately, Lake of Fire challenges all of us to confront the ethical complexities of the abortion debate. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a director's commentary and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for a fine documentary.] (F. Swietek)