Critic Reviews

So fascinating that Crossing the Line is riveting.

Crossing the Line, like its subject, remains a fascinating and frustrating enigma -- a declassified government report still marred by redacted passages.

Aside from some resonant hints that all is not as it seems, the movie leaves it to you to decide where the truths begin and ends. You'll be untangling Dresnok's knotty reality long after you leave the theater.

The release of Crossing the Line couldn't be more timely. Earlier this week, it was announced that the two Koreas would hold a summit this month in Pyongyang. Perhaps Kim will bring Dresnok with him.

It's an enormous scoop for a Western filmmaker, but a potentially compromising one, too. How much can a filmmaker challenge the dubious elements of Dresnok's story? At what point can the film be considered an unwitting propaganda tool for an oppressive, totalitarian system?

Ultimately, Dresnok comes across as honest and credible, and his story is absolutely fascinating.

Film's rarity value and still-hot subject matter make this required viewing.

Decaying and illiterate, with a mouthful of metal teeth, Dresnok himself belies his advertisements for the greatness of North Korea.