Crossing the Line

Aroview: Documentary on the extraordinary defection of James Dresnok, an American military deserter to North Korea in 1962, who now resides permanently in the communist state.

Further opening a door to the secretive Kim Jong-il regime, Gordon’s third North Korean excursion is more ‘tabloid’ than previous efforts, assuming the guise of an investigative expose as Dresnok spills the beans on why he defected and assimilated into Korean society. A souped-up dramatic score and Christian Slater’s grating narration further distance the film from the elegance and quiet dignity of A STATE OF MIND, though that’s not to say the material isn’t a fascinating unveiling, with one-of-a-kind insights and several unexpected twists and turns.

NZ International Film Festival 2007