I watched this film on Netflix on a flight from BWI to Ft. Lauderdale on August 5th. The tricky part about this film was that it was released internationally in 2016 but premiered in the US in early April of 2017. Since Rotten Tomates refers to this picture as a 2017 film, then I will count it as a 2017 film.
Legendary director Werner Herzog wrote the screenplay and directed this picture. The film stars Veronica Ferres as Dr. Laura Sommerfield, Gael García Bernal as Dr. Covani and Volker Michalowski as Dr. Meier are European scientists that are en route to South America to study an ecological disaster. Michael Shannon plays Matt Riley, the CEO of an international consortium that had a hand in the disaster. Obviously, he's the villain.
The three scientists are kidnapped and taken into the mountains. Dr. Sommerfield is brought to the masked leader of the villains. He knows why the scientists are in country and makes it clear it's not about ransom. When Sommerfield inquires about the statuis of Covani and Meier, she's informed that they were subdued via diarrhea inducing dumplings. It's revealed that the "host" is Matt Riley, the CEO of the consortium that caused the ecological disaster that Sommerfield and her team came to analyze. Riley explains that he's feels responsible for what happened. Riley is an intellectual who's love of art begins to make Sommerfield soften her stance on him. The two grow to mutually respect each other.
Riley then takes Sommerfield on a field trip to the salt flat that the disaster has become. The salt flat is spreading and threatens to destroy the environment. It's also revealed that the salt flat sits upon a super volcano and is due to erupt (kind of like Yellowstone) and an eruption of a super volcano would make the human race extinct. Riley ends up stranding Sommerfield on the flat with two boys and a week's worth of supplies. The boys are partially blind and Sommerfield cares for them.
When Riley comes back he reveals that the boys are his adopted sons. Their mother died after childbirth as a result of the salt flat and the boys will eventually become completely blind due to the poisoned environment. Riley wanted to make Sommerfield feel the emotional and human costs of the disaster firsthand instead of just giving a statistical report. Riley gives her a ticket to Rome and says that he will turn himself in. Sommerfield wants him to join her but he says he'd get caught. Film ends.
Werner Herzog is a film legend and if I come across a film of his then I am going to watch it. Sure he might be past his prime but he's capable of delivering. The film received a 30% Rotten Tomatoes rating which I think is a bit cruel. The story is more or less fluid and the cinematography is very good. Solid acting and a run time of only 98 minutes. The plot has its ups and downs and gets a bit cliche at times. The film has a pro-environmental message that man screws with nature at his own risk. Riley's character has some good qualities and some that are cliche. One of his henchmen though is a bit ridiculous. Herzog wastes the talents of Bernal as he's only briefly in the film. Could the film have been better? For sure. It's not Herzog's best work but it's ok. This film is definitely not for everyone though.
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