Review of 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) by Eric M — 21 Feb 2015

The historical epic is clearly the most beloved of genres for Ridley Scott, and I find it hard to understand why "1492: The Conquest of Paradise", an early and fascinating example of Scott gaining his footing, is so underrated and underappreciated. Of course, the film isn't perfect, a bit overlong and inconsistent. But Scott's neoclassical-inspired artistry and sense of pageantry is seen fully flowering. His cinematography is stunning, basking in the glory and ambition of Columbus' quest and fully immersing the viewer into the historical world of fifteenth century Spain. It captures the enchanting allure of the new world, and the zeal and passion of Columbus is utterly understandable.

The character of Columbus is a fascinating one in "1492", a zealous and powerful personality whose endeavor gets far out of his control. The casting is both brilliant and a failure. Gerard Depardieu is physically and emotionally perfect for the role, but his accent is atrocious. Also, Sigourney Weaver is a bit distracting as Queen Isabella. But Scott's screenplay explores fascinating subtexts, touching on ambition, passion, zeal and the cruelty and evil that follows man wherever he treads on the Earth. Columbus is a tragic hero, a fascinating take on the story.

Also, no review of the movie would be complete without mention of the rocking Vangelis score, which is occasionally dated, but at other moments rips forward with a chilling choral theme that'll give you goosebumps when combined with Scott's powerful imagery. Ultimately, an underrated early entry into Scott's historical epic canon that deserves to be rediscovered and given a proper Blu-Ray release.