Rating of
3.5/4
"I am the wrath of God. Who else is with me?"
Arbogast1960 - wrote on 05/30/08
I have never before seen a film so dominated by a single face. Klaus Kinski is more-than-convincingly insane in the title role (how much he is acting is anyone's guess). He exudes an intensity that is palpable and frightening as he heads deeper and deeper into the Peruvian rainforest in search of El Dorado. In its portrait of a tropical descent into madness, the film resembles Coppola's Apocalypse Now. and perhaps this should not be surprising--both films share infamously troubled production histories. There are many breathtaking and beautiful images to be seen, including a ship perched at the top of a tree and of course the famous final shot with a Kinski riding a monkey-ridden raft to oblivion. But at day's end, the film is a testament (not unlike Nosferatu and Fitzcarraldo) to Herzog's ability to harness Kinski's well-chronicled instability to create an indelible image of madness.
Recent Comments
Alex - wrote on 05/30/08 at 07:22 PM CT
Aguirre, Wrath of God ( Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes ) Review comment
I have never seen this but want to badly. What can you see about the pacing aspect of the film. Oh, and how long is it?
