Never watched Werner Herzog’s films before. Watched Aguirre, the wrath of God today. In search of El Dorado, a group of Spanish explorers voyage into the Jungle beyond the Andes along with their slaves. Unable to venture further in the inhospitable terrain, the commander appoints a smaller group of 40 members to go further on rafts, across and into this unexplored territory in search of the terrible riches.
Don Pedro, a kind benevolent leader is soon overshadowed by Aguirre who personifies wrath and terror. Pedro suggests retreat fearing loss and deprivation. Aguirre proposes to march ahead, declaring the noble fate that awaits them as the first conquerors, the chance to script history and to engrave their names as fearless adventurers.
But Aguirre is a slave of his pride. He is in a world of his own, deluded by visions of victory, conquest and glory.
His streak of self-destruction gradually leads the entire group into their watery grave. The Indians or savages as they are called, the river, and the Jungle in unison play out this death trap and the film ends with the image of Aguirre drunk in his vision of a royal line he is about to establish, while on his accursed raft all is in ruins and he alone is there, positioned in his crooked gait surveying the corpses and monkeys.
All along the magnificence and implacability of the river and the jungle is in sharp contrast to the greedy, predatory look in the troop. Laudatory of the wrath of God-Aguirre as the film appears to be, it portrays the enormity of humanity against an immutable universe.
A beautiful film with great performances and an agonizing search for some historical questions?