The Motive Netflix Series – The Motive TV Series is a four-part Israeli docuseries that explore the 1986 killings of four family members by a 14-years-old-boy in Jerusalem. It was created by Tali Shemesh and Asaf Sudri. The series includes a reconstruction of events featuring actors.
The Motive was broadcast in Israel on the Yes Docu channel in December 2020 and released by Netflix on 28 October 2021.
The Motive; Netflix Series – The Play; Summary
In Jerusalem 1986, a 14-years old boy shot his family of four in the coldest manner, and not a single person was able to find the motive behind the murder. The motive tries to look into the intricate details just to find a rationale behind everything that happened on the day of the incident. The incident shook the nation and they have never seen such a case. The team of psychiatrists, doctors, and even the investigators were speechless when asked about why he did it.
The 14-years old boy claimed that a green monster told him to murder his parents and sisters with his father’s M-16 riffle. Any other reason behind the murder is not revealed in the documentary. Though his lawyer, Yossi, alludes to other theories. In the series, he is asked whether reports of abuse and incest in the family were true, to which he replied: “No comment.”
Viewers have commented on the reasons why they think he killed his family, with one saying: ‘I mean the motive to me seems obvious. He was the youngest, so would inherit the least, He eliminated his family because he knew he would inherit all the money and be put out of prison early enough to enjoy it. That’s probably what he was calculation on the calculator.”
At first, the kid told Samuel (the investigator) that a burglar did it, but soon confess to the crime. His father had recently completed military reserve duty and taught the boy how to use the M-16 rifle.
The teen’s identity has always remained anonymous, and so it is impossible to say where he is since committing the crime. The documentary revealed that he received nine years in prison for manslaughter, and was let out after six years for good behavior. According to The Cinemaholic, he worked in finance before his identity was discovered following the documentary’s release, and was let go from his position.
The Motive contains statements of the boy’s girlfriend, school teacher, cops, counselors, and lawyers about the boy’s behavior. The statement is full of darkness, crime, blood, and murder. Overall The Motive doesn’t have any entertaining elements or vibes which makes it an intriguing series to watch psychologically. The direction, story, and screenplay is a good attempt at showcasing an even based on true occurrence.