In 1993, three eight-year-old boys are found brutally murdered in a small town in West Memphis. Understandably, the locals want swift justice. Sadly, this rage quickly finds a convenient outlet as three teenage boys are targeted and arrested for the crime. One of the teenagers, whose mental retardation makes him particularly vulnerable, is lead by the police into making a confession, giving the prosecution enough to charge and eventually convict all three.

This documentary, which delves deeply into the two-decade long ordeal of the accused teens known as the Memphis Three, paints a frightening and tragic picture of a corrupt justice system. It’s a case that, to the casual observer, is disturbingly unjust, and which shows how those with the least power in society are often mistreated by the system. Perhaps even more disturbing is the implausibly resolute attitude of those who oversaw the trial, despite the ever mounting and compelling evidence that a terrible mistake was made.

Despite a parade of witnesses who could place the accused teens in different locations, the lack of any connection between the victims and the accused teens, and not one piece of physical evidence that even indicated they were at the crime scene, three young lives were persecuted.

Through media hysteria, the teenagers were depicted as Satanists, and the crime itself was framed as one of the most heinous kinds of cult ritual. The wounds to the bodies were interpreted as evidence of this, and with little more than one questionable confession underpinned by an emotionally charged narrative, the teenagers are sent to life in prison, with the eldest, Damien Echols, given the death penalty.

Once the hysteria surrounding the murders subsided, however, crime writers and those in the legal profession began to take an interest in the trial. What they uncovered were a range of unexplained and conflicting pieces of evidence that raised serious doubts, which lead to further investigation.

As interest grew, and evidence mounted, word spread to Hollywood, and heavyweights such as Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp and Eddie Vedder began to take a more vested interest in the case. Their funding and their public support, along with scientific advancements, enabled the defense team to employ a greater re-examination of the evidence, including DNA.

The results speak for themselves, yet obtaining justice didn’t prove as clear-cut, with the final ruling offering little by way of a satisfactory end.

West of Memphis makes for truly upsetting viewing—touching upon many distressing issues. From the horrors of the murders themselves to the disillusionment you’re left with, it is entirely tragic. And yet, it’s a story that must be told, and which deserves to be heard.

Directed by: Amy Berg
Rating: R
Runtime: 147 minutes
Release Date: 14 February
Reviewer rating: 4/5