Review of Encounters at the End of the World (2007) by Bobby B — 02 Dec 2009

One of the most thought-provoking, beautiful documentaries I've ever seen. Encounters at the End of the World is very loose and ponderous - it's not only a nature documentary or only a documentary about the various eccentric people living in Antartica but both at once, with eerie, haunting themes also quietly playing out. It's a completely gorgeous film, full of huge, empty landscapes and beautiful, creepy underwater scenes. Herzog also shows us some of the wildlife living in the South Pole, but these bizarre, fascinating animal scenes are nothing like your average nature documentary. However, the people are possibly the most interesting aspect of Encounters. All these people are wanderers and dreamers, and seeing how passionate they are for adventure and beauty is truly inspiring.

In a subtle way, Encounters also touches on ideas of eternity and the end of mankind. Herzog doesn't overplay these themes or try to frighten the viewers into becoming environmentally aware, he instead plays with these ideas in a poetic, haunting way.

Encounters is intellectually, emotionally, and visually satisfying, and one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It could use a little editing, but when faced with a movie this hauntingly beautiful it seems pointless to complain.