A psychological thriller, Incitement follows the year leading to the assassination of Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, from the point of view of the assassin. It is a psychological portrait of a political assassin seeking to kill democracy. It is also a portrait of a torn society on the brink of civil war.
This is heavy. A look through the eyes of a cold-blooded killer, made that way by the expectations put in place by religion. It is a widely stated fact that religion is the biggest cause of wars, with differing ideologies leading to hate and domination of one religion over another. It is not often that we are treated to a more explorative look into specific religions and the facets that spark extremism and terrorism, such as has been done here. Incitement is a damning display of the superiority complex ingrained in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish people.
Devoid of humour and positivity, Incitement is a heavy, burden of a film to watch. The audience is provided with no reprieve during the film's runtime, and neither are they provided with a likeable protagonist to bond with. Revolving around Yigal Amir (portrayed by Yehuda Nahari Halevi), an already active out-spoken activist, who has already committed questionable violent acts against the Palestinians. Not specifically because Amir is a bad person, but because he has been told his entire life that the ancient scripture specifies the land that the Palestinians are living on is the Jewish people's God-appointed land, that the killing of someone that takes or gives away the Jewish land can be allowed under Jewish law, that Jewish laws are above all secular laws, and that his name anoints him as the one to redeem his people.
It's a combination that highlights the reality that the source of this act of terrorism comes directly from religious teachings. Indoctrination and brainwashing to value a certain set of principles above the value of human life. It brings a spotlight to the Israel-Palestine conflict and identifies why there will never be a solution. Why there will never be peace. While there are of course less orthodox populations that are left-leaning and support an end to the bloodshed, this is not the focus of Incitement. The intrinsic duality between the two perspectives brings an eternal conflict and represents the two big powers of the state that control the people.
There is a clear similarity to films such as Joker and Taxi Driver, with external forces pushing our main character (I am hesitant to refer to him as a protagonist) in a dark direction, but the difference here is that Amir isn't an innocent player to start with. An activist already, and immediately showing anger and resentment, his journey is not from good to bad, but from already warped to the breaking point. It's a critical difference that greatly affects the impact of the film but prevents his character from being likeable. Charming and driven, yes, but not somebody that a Western audience would consider trustworthy. A charm that clearly demonstrates the manipulation that Amir himself has been subject to.
It's the single perspective that keeps the film from gaining more impact and dramatics, with all external information being fed through the media on his family's television. Every news piece sends him deeper into his destructive thoughts; it's an unmistakable one-note narrative structure choice.
Incitement is an informative peek behind the curtain of Israel's antiquated belief systems. A belief system that is resistant to any form of change. There is no real attempt to make the audience sympathize with our main character, Amir, and very little light is shone on the more open-minded Jewish communities. His father is the only real attempt to provide a differing point of view, which leaves the film trapped in the negativity of an ongoing problem that has no solution.
Despite the peculiar decision to base a dramatic film around someone who is being vilified, with no intention of changing that perspective, Yehuda Nahari Halevi is a very effective actor in the role of Amir. His stares do wonders at building depth to the character, conveying the building anger and frustration, as well as the emotional separation from anyone who isn't a loyal ultra-Orthodox Jew.
Incitement is an insightful look into Jewish laws that can incite, and the Rabbis that fail to quell violent leanings, but lacks the pacing and narrative exploration needed to create a fully engaging viewing experience. It's informative, but it's heavy, and it takes effort to get through.
Incitement is part of the NZ Jewish International Film Festival from the 22nd of July to the 15th of August