Review of Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972) by David C — 22 Nov 2014

"Aguirre, The Wrath of God" is something like a PBS documentary created by the criminally insane. It is Warner Herzog's idea of what could have transpired among a party of conquistadors traveling slowly down the Amazon in search of El Dorado. The title character, Aguirre (Klaus Kinski), has an unwavering stare that does not conceal his murderous zeal, but he moves unsteadily on his feet, weaving and tilting as if perpetually drunk. He is calculating, but not sound of mind. His.

Ambitions-not just gold but power, to "stage history the same way that other men stage plays"-obviously exceed his grasp as he and his dying crew navigate a tattered raft through hostile lands. The only characters who seem to grasp the severity of the situation are Pizarro's handpicked expedition leader Ursua and Ursua's wife Dona Inez, but their rationality leaves them no better-equipped than Aguirre to survive the jungle. The story seems allegorical, a mockery of those who proclaim themselves rulers, and many of the characters are little more than clichés (a gluttonous emperor, a concerned wife, a sadistic henchman, etc.) Yet narrative is less important to this film's success than atmosphere. The props, costumes, and cinematography are of a high order, and although the Spanish conquistadors speak German, the language of the filmmaker, the natives in the movie speak Quechua.