Review of Encounters at the End of the World (2007) by Ryan S — 23 Nov 2008

Another Herzog documentary. Another examination of men and women on the edge of society. As such "Encounters at the End of the World" fits neatly within his filmography. Arctic/global warming documentaries are certainly in vogue, so my initial thought was that Herzog was attempting to capitalize on this trend, but on the other hand he's always been drawn to extremes, so the Antarctic may have always been on his list.

It's a strangely uninformative documentary. The visuals and locales are often striking, but as he strives to avoid penguin movie cliches, Herzog meanders a lot. In contrast to much of his work, he does not have a single obsessive subject. Here he offers glimpses of various scientists and travelers who have converged upon the Antarctic town. His attitude is questionable. While I always got the sense that he had a deep respect for various indigenous tribes, he blatantly mocks many of his subject. He goes so far as interrupting their interviews to mention that their stories went on "forever". It's very odd, but rather than suggesting that he's doing something Brechtian, he just seems ADD riddled.

The broader scope benefits the film's pace. Unlike his work a more singular focus, you never tire of specific eccentricities. It is certainly one of his most audience friendly efforts, but I'm not sure if it will appeal to many outside of existing fans.