Killer Ratings (2019) User Reviews

Well made documentary on a unique subject

[Jeff_Saps · 8/10 · 3 June 2019]

I am always on the lookout for the latest documentaries on true crime or related subjects, and I found this one, despite having never heard about this case (which always makes reading or watching something about the subject that much more interesting).

You can sense the Netflix production values and skills of those involved - it is very well edited, spaced and the interviews are very well interspersed with footage and a cohesive story-line.

During the first couple of episodes, I still had no idea regarding the protagonist's innocence or guilt, the series will lead your opinion one way, then completely drop a bombshell pointing to the other way (currently on the final episode and I am still on the fence) but both sides are really well portrayed and give the viewer a very tumultuous yet informed viewpoint of the entire picture, and what was going on.

It provides a great insight on both the raw violence, and effects of murders and drug-related fatalities, as much as it highlights the deficiencies of the media portrayal of these events, and the political tactics and string-pulling in the background.

The final two/three episodes seem a little drawn out and I feel it could have been condensed into 4 or 5 episodes. I have to laud the unbiased viewpoint of the series (compare it to something terribly biased such as the likewise Netflix-produced 'Knox' documentary), it is refreshing and really unusual subject, a highly recommended watch!

Netflix's synopsis is a joke

[miguel_prudencio · 8/10 · 15 June 2019]

Did the people that wrote Netflix's synopsis even watch the documentary? I had never heard of this case before watching this and I don't think anyone who does watch it can state that this guy was guilty and that he actually ordered the killing of people for ratings or for whatever other purpose. The documentary is well made, if a bit too long, but it is unbiased enough to at least leave you in doubt. Yet, Netflix chose to draw their own conclusions and write a misleading, inacurate and plain dishonest synopsis... all in the name of ratings, I guess.

The way they told the story was fantastic

[guilhermedacosta03 · 9/10 · 5 June 2019]

Brilliant way to tell a story putting all the perspectives from the characters to the viewer and let them choose what to believe, one of the best Brazilian Documentaries ever made

The media can help you rise but it can also ruin you in a second

[dan_c_ro · 10/10 · 24 October 2020]

I never knew about this guy or his TV show. Excellent storytelling and thumbs up for the creators of this documentary. It was very interesting. At the end of the final episode I cannot say if he was guilty or not. I think the truth was somewhere in the middle. What is clear is that the media dramatized everything and the prosecutors exaggerated the accusations. The sad part of everything is that there is a big problem with the corruption and criminality in Brazil. I don't say that every Brazilian is corrupt or a criminal but they have a big problem there and a lot of innocent people suffer because of that.

Great storytelling

[borgolarici · 8/10 · 6 November 2019]

What a surprise! This documentary was unusually well done: very detailed, mostly unbiased (to my non Brazilian eyes at least) and engaging. Some parts were a bit too long but the pacing was overall good: I really wanted to know more about what happened and the interviews were interesting and not just a boring filler.

Dragged On

[shylalee · 7/10 · 25 February 2021]

This series puts you in the judges seat. You are given all the evidence or even lack of it so the question is who do you believe. I personally couldn't make my mind up knowing how corrupted the cops are. The series started out quite promising. There was a of footage and interviews from both sides etc but the episodes started to feel very dragged out and even though I watched 5 of the 7 episodes and I wanted to know what happened next I just couldn't bare another dragged out episode. I decided to abandon the series and just go online to find out what happened. I think just because you have hours and hours of footage, it doesn't mean you have to include everything in the final cut.

Better than many fiction series out there

[g_berges · 10/10 · 13 February 2020]

I've watched many documentaries and fiction series on violent crimes, police investigation and corrosion. This series is so entertaining and interesting that it has grasped my attention and curiosity more than many fiction series could have done. The story-telling, turnarounds, and different points of view are amazing.

Intriguing, but guilty as charged.

[hrundivb_ · 7/10 · 22 March 2023]

I don't usually watch true crime documentaries, but I'm running low on decent Netflix content, so I gave it a try. The series was interesting, intriguing, and well scripted for the most part. I will say they could have trimmed it down by at least 1-2 episodes. I also found the repeated unflinching support by the relatives a bit tedious. It was used for effect, I understand, especially to push the persecution narrative, but it was overdone. We know the son and sister will defend Wallace to the very end, no need to go there every other segment.

Having said that, after watching this, I have no doubt in this man's guilt. It was evident for me at the outset, when he denied ever knowing 'Moa'. It's difficult to recover from such a major lie.

And there are other instances, including his clandestine meeting with a known trafficker captured on camera, that cannot be sufficiently explained, as well as the results of the search warrant executed at Wallace's residence. Instead, we focus on heavy-handed police tactics, forced statements and confessions, unreliable witnesses, and so on. I get that this builds suspense and challenges the credibility of the investigation. I'll also add that the documentary does do a good job at steering the audience in one direction (guilty/not-guilty), then dropping a bombshell and causing us to suddenly rethink our position. That device worked well throughout the series.

If you were not yet convinced, the testimony of the Canal Libre reporter in the final episode was powerful. Yes, she said she was 'forced' to provide a statement or be arrested, but what she told the documentary crew, on camera, of what she witnessed, rings true. She was not making that up. And, if the task force had evidence that she'd been present during the capture/torture of a rival drug dealer (as she admitted she was), they likely would have had the grounds to arrest to her, if she refused to cooperate. It's a tactic that would likely deem the statement inadmissible in my corner of the world, but not necessarily in Brazil.

Everyone has their own judgement and opinion. I also understand the extent of political and police corruption, especially in a south American country fraught with drugs and violence. Also, when assessing any investigation into well-known personality or person of power, any potential 'political' or 'alternate' agenda should not be dismissed, and this is why the documentary is so compelling. There was sufficient grounds to pursue the political persecution angle, no dispute there.

In the end however, despite questionable investigative tactics, unreliable witnesses, and a media frenzy, as the lead investigator stated in the final episode, you do not rely on 'one' fact to prove a case. And the fact that Moa recanted his statement in front of the jury, does not negate all the other corroborating evidence.

Having said that, did they have sufficient evidence for a guilty verdict? Here in North America, likely no. Proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is a high threshold, and Wallace's defense did a good job calling much of the prosecution's evidence into question. In a fair trial Wallace likely would have been acquitted.

But, like OJ, it doesn't mean he didn't do it.

Definitely worth a watch.

Best story telling

[vmanson-49017 · 8/10 · 5 June 2019]

Now this is how documentaries should be made! The flow is nice and there are many twists. Certainly not biased and let's the viewer decide and best of all it is entertaining. Thank you and thank God I don't leave in Manaus

Interesting but way too long.

[markcornwell-31818 · 6/10 · 21 February 2021]

I'm not gonna go into it other than my title. This is what I find interesting: right after Wallace's death there was a bloody turf battle among drug gangs. Almost as if a major drug kingpin had just died and left a power vacuum.

Journalism, crime and political prosecution.

[OdinsRagnarok · 9/10 · 22 January 2021]

"Killer Ratings", sensationalism and questioning the integrity of the program / reporter is just as much about Canal Livre's integrity, as it is about the people who covered Wallace's case afterwards.

This is an extremely well paced and detailed documentary which I'm giving the high rating in particular for it's unbiased storytelling. There isn't just one side or one argument being told here, the audience is left to make their own conclusion. Like a jury in a court, you hear all the evidence and then have to conclude who you believe. Each side contradicting each other, with no obvious answer to the question.

It also goes through just the sickening level of crime, drugs and corruption in Brazil. Really astonishing, even provoking. The problems are so deep rooted. Highly recommend giving this a watch if you're serious about crime documentaries. Yes it is a bit long, but it also goes into extensive details. It's not just repeating same information over and over or getting sidetracked - as some documentaries do.

Misleading title

[grandmove · 6/10 · 25 July 2021]

The power of the media. Not ONE single shred of evidence was brought against Wallace. I can't understand how the justice system works in Brazil.... Looks like the police are really corrupt.

By episode 5 I abandoned it

[Funkaairo · 5/10 · 13 February 2023]

It was very interesting at first, but there is just way too much non-sense thrown at you for so many minutes (and even hours) on end that just bores you.

I understand Wallace's sons standpoint after the first interview clip, we don't need to see another 60 minutes of interview content of his son saying nothing but how baffled he is at the accusations and how sad he is and so on. At some point, after seeing his son talk about the same thing for the 5th time in episode 5, I just abandoned the "documentary" because it was just way too tilting to watch.

You have an amazing story at hand here, like what else could you even dream of? You could have made an incredible documentary just based on the plot and information at hand.

It's actually super interesting but the documentary doesn't do this wicked story any justice simply because I was forced to watch emotional nonsense for way too long. My patience ran out! Such a shame. I think the viewer would get more satisfaction by reading about this through wikipedia since we wouldn't need to get numbed by the countless of pointless interviews with the Wallace family members.

What do you believe?

[jsconnolly-70447 · 10/10 · 12 June 2019]

After watching all 7 episodes I'm still not sure that this guy was guilty! The Police blamed him for everything and anything. Stacks of evidence against but question marks throughout. Corruption? You decide!

I still can't decide....??

[david1806 · 8/10 · 21 June 2019]

Brilliant documentary.... But I still can't decide if he's guilty or not, which shows what a great job the documentary makers made of creating an unbiased program. I'm leaning towards he was innocent, and the Families of the North were responsible..... What do YOU think?

Thanks God I don't live in Brasil

[brana_dragan · 9/10 · 4 June 2019]

Wow, what a judicial system is in Maunas, my heart goes to Wallace's family. What a joke, guy who helped poor became threat for Amazon oligarchy and just like that he was accused of everything,what the guy said, over 500 pages and yet on trail they didn't prove one single evidence. What a farce, so scared, will never ever go to Brasil after watching this show. It was captivating until the end, was cheering for Wallace all the way.

Guilty or not guilty?

[djslump · 8/10 · 27 September 2022]

7 episodes full of interesting information, footage, interviews and still once I came to the end of the series I could not really figure it out if the guy was innocent or guilty. And that's a good sign actually, because the story is told from a quite neutral point of view, balancing well the different sides - prosecution and defence - and not taking a clear stand for one or the other. The theory of him killing to improve the audience of his tv show is quite disturbing but potentially plausible unless he fell victim of a huge political conspiracy.

Definitely a documentary that I recommend watching, a bit too long in my opinion but worth the time.

Know the people

[Fingolfin23 · 9/10 · 23 June 2020]

This show proves how people can lie looking at your face or pretend to cry. He obviously did those crimes and still defending until the end. Why Moa said they were innocent in the end ? Because it was his only choice to get rid of the jail. C'mon! Who believes this guy who killed people and controlled the narco traffic in Manaus deserves to be cheated me in real life. Yes criminals lie as breathing. Of course his sons will defend because they will run after him to succeed politically.

Long and drawn out...

[pntmark · 4/10 · 13 June 2019]

The story itself is great but there are some things that shouldn't be drawn out into a series or "season". This story could have been told in 90 - 120 minutes.

They've drawn this out into a number of episodes which, by the time the second episode is done, feels like it's dragging.... I stopped watching.

Dragging....

A Good Story Means Zero Dilemmas?

[mariusbv-35612 · 9/10 · 21 June 2021]

Now I realize I knew nothing other than what people liked to believe about this story - just another spicy horror tale from the wild, wild South. In the end, Wallace Souza's story is just as enigmatic and powerful as the Amazon itself. And everyone makes of it what they choose. It's not very pleasing but it's a challenge for the viewers to respect the truth and not take things lightly. It's good to have everything cleared up at the end but it's better to learn living with life's uncertainties and respecting the truth. I would say this version does some justice to the family because, after all, they don't deserve such a heavy burden.... I will also admit it was really boring for me because I already knew many things about the story and could forsee the aftermath but however, was worth waiting for the last episode.

Wow, Real Crime TV Show-Politics-Corruption-Drugs

[chakibovic7 · 10/10 · 4 April 2021]

I'm still processing the last episode I can't believe what the heck was that!

The documentary is a masterpiece the way they tell the story they keep you guessing and can't decide who is right and who is wrong... But in the end you can see from all the accusations from the police is that Wallace was a threat to the power politicians and as long as he kept attacking them with their corruption, they made sure to finish him with this scenario I'm not saying he is a saint but in that parliament he was defending for the people, and about the his show I don't buy it.

Shocking, but a must watch

[JohnM63 · 10/10 · 19 March 2022]

Great documentary and also a shocking insight into Brasil's 'justice' system. The manipulation of 'investigators' is so obvious that at a certain point I could barely watch anymore to see a man being completely destroyed by a system that made me think of Kafka's The Trial. Justice systems are less or more flawed all over the world. This documentary however depicts a 'justice system' that does not even deserve the name. Shocking but a must watch.

Rating

[hai-70449 · 10/10 · 1 September 2021]

Really great documentary show. Full of twist ......

Dragged on

[Tinkerbellprincess69 · 5/10 · 12 July 2022]

This would have been so much better if they'd shortened it down to no more than 4 episodes. It felt repetitive, by episode 5 I was skipping through to get to the key bits.

Why all so positive?

[codyerb · 2/10 · 8 September 2023]

This documentary was extremely anti-climatic, drawn out and repetitive. I felt the narrative strayed so often, for the intention of suspense or whatever. But this just made it feel scripted , much like making a murderer. I never understand why people belive in these snake oil criminals who try and claim innocence. Give me material on any one subject and with the same source material I can produce two extremely varying opinions. This guy and his son clearly committed these crimes- had he stayed alive surely he would have been found guilty like his son. I just find it funny how something so poorly put together and straying from the point actually is well perceived. I wish i knew the bare bone facts on this one.