Encounters at the End of the World

Encounters at the End of the World

2008
Documentary
1h 39m
Filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica to capture its landscape's rarely seen beauty on film.
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Encounters at the End of the World

2008
Documentary
1h 39m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 69.24% from 1159 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1159)
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Rated 08 Nov 2008
9
90th
Endearing and heartwarming, Herzog proves that after 40 years, he's still the great humanitarian, people respect and applaud so much. I liked it more than the fake/fishy 'Grizzly Man', I especially found the comparisons to space interesting, lines like: "The divers looked like astronauts, floating in space" or "being in Antartica is like being on the moon, pure and peaceful". This is one of the year's best films, and one of the most beautiful documentaries I've ever seen.
Rated 21 Nov 2008
85
84th
A loose, roaming documentary, similar in that sense to The White Diamond. The rambling nature of it does make it feel unfocused but it also serves as a springboard for a number of interesting tangents. From beautiful, otherworldly images to intriguing characters with amazing stories to philosophical rants, things are kept pretty engaging for the most part. And Herzog's often displayed a sly sense of humor in his films, but some of his comments in this one are actually laugh-out-loud funny.
Rated 28 Jan 2009
84
81st
Maybe I'm the minority here but, to me, this documentary felt like Herzog's take on Planet Earth, admittedly given a much more human feel as he involves the lives of the people he encounters. There are some absolutely breath-taking shots and Herzog hasn't lost his eye for creating a compelling documentary. Still, when all is said and done, I'd honestly rather watch Planet Earth. It's not Herzog's best but it's still well worth seeing.
Rated 07 Dec 2008
5
96th
Herzog somehow manages to transform a continent with an average temperature of fifty below and a year-round population of one thousand into a warm and human place while still preserving the grandness and mysteriousness of it all. The highlight for me is "the penguin's insanity" scene, which is definitely one of those unforgettable Herzogian moments. Stellar.
Rated 29 Jan 2009
78
88th
That's it. Herzog has now made at least one film on each and every continent. Encounters is an awesome documentary. It is at once a personal, philosophical and poetic look at nature, science and the work of scientists. As with the best of Herzog's documentary work, it makes no attempt at being systematic and has rightly been described as loose and roaming, and that's just why it's so fascinating.
Rated 17 Jul 2009
80
72nd
Very different look at different people who crave different things. We need more of these folk.
Rated 22 Nov 2009
9
92nd
Herzog is a master of cinema and he does it again with this journey across Antarctica. At times haunting, at others beautiful this is a sensational documentary and the narration and interviews seem to fit perfectly. The penguin scene is something else.
Rated 13 Aug 2008
75
74th
Herzog begins by unfavorably comparing mankind to insects, but when we see that he's earnestly captivated less by the astonishing geographic architecture of the seventh continent than the off-kilter individuals he finds populating it, he exposes the underlying humanism at the roots of his madness.
Rated 17 Nov 2008
7
68th
Amazing but I would still rather watch Planet Earth than this. Kudos to the deranged penguin scene. And those underwater shots were fantastic.
Rated 02 Jan 2009
90
90th
The most entertaining documentary I have seen about a scientific subject. Herzog manages to capture the beauty of a land that is far to harsh for humans to ever truly live on. His interviews with the residents are all fascinating insights into the minds of people that no one but Herzog could ever really understand. My favorite scene for me was of course the penguin insanity but also the bagging of the seals, something I found out is normally never allowed to be filmed in fear of bad press.
Rated 04 Jan 2009
35
23rd
Herzog's commentary and questions are just really stupid. Also the interviews jump around too much without never really focusing on anyone. 10 minutes of good looking nature footage doesn't save a 100 minute long film.
Rated 15 Mar 2009
91
97th
How does Herzog find these people?! This film blew my mind into smithereens.
Rated 22 Apr 2009
100
97th
The most overwhelming experience one can have with a documentary. He truly didn't make just "another movie about penguins", although the film does have a mesmerizing episode with the birds. A philosophical and psychological journey to the end of the world and of the human mind.
Rated 25 May 2009
84
74th
There's nothing Herzog likes more than depicting humanity humbled by the most imposing landscapes in nature, so toting his documentary camera down to Antarctica is as fitting as can be. He takes it all in with an impatient curiosity, flavoring the film with humorously opinionated narration. It may not be proper documentarian etiquette to interrupt an interview subject mid-story with a voiceover grousing "This story goes on forever," but it's thoroughly entertaining.
Rated 25 Jul 2009
4
74th
The footage captured is astounding in its beauty, but we also get the chance to meet a number of interesting characters, many with odd eccentricities. I enjoyed Herzog's unabashed narration, which is sometimes humorous; it's always interesting to hear things from his perspective. The choral arrangements nicely compliment the awe-inspiring imagery.
Rated 03 Jan 2010
80
62nd
Herzog continues to mine "man vs. nature" themes as he flies to the South Pole to meet those who willingly relocate to the desolate landscape. Predictably, Herzog comes across a great deal of "his people" -- the philosophers, the dreamers, the rogues, and those who embrace the unknown. Gorgeous images abound, including one moving shot that could serve as a summation of the director's career, as a disoriented (insane?) penguin breaks from the flock, waddling off course to his certain death.
Rated 26 Jan 2012
78
82nd
After enduring the crap-fest that was The Wild Blue Yonder, I was extremely wary of this film, partially because it went back to the infamous underwater 'cathedral' which was brutally overused in Herzog''s science fiction Tour de Merde. Would I be subjected to a never ending string of 15 minute scenes featuring myriad floating ice shavings set to Northern African tribal chants? Luckily for me, and the rest of modern civilization, the answer was no.
Rated 26 Apr 2022
79
67th
Reminded me of the strange icy dream world depicted in My Winnipeg. By now Herzog's narration comes with a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness. He declares he's not out to make a penguin doc and has deeper questions about nature, then when he finds a scientist in the field he asks: "So I heard there are gay penguins, your thoughts?" He laments the reduction of true exploration to record chasing - of course this doc makes him the first to film one on every continent.
Rated 03 Jul 2008
80
52nd
Herzog's narration is completely amazing. Not just your typical nature documentary. Herzog chooses the strangest and most interesting aspects of life in Antarctica.
Rated 16 Aug 2008
90
72nd
A great comparison of the spiritual aspects of the Antarctic region and the effect of human life on this continent.
Rated 02 Sep 2008
98
93rd
Very endearing and it's a a mindblowing nature documentary from the master himself.
Rated 06 Oct 2008
40
31st
With this incredible scenery it is not acceptable that the movie is so uninteresting.
Rated 02 Nov 2008
85
92nd
The lost penguin scene was absolutely epic.
Rated 30 Nov 2008
60
55th
:o no! penguin! don't do it!
Rated 08 Dec 2008
90
91st
Stunning. The underwater-scenes was especially - and completely - overwhelming, with their uncanny and simultaneously graceful images and prodigious, almost ominous, soundtrack.
Rated 12 Dec 2008
10
99th
Another hypnotizing documentary from Herzog. Unfocused, but in a good way.
Rated 27 Dec 2008
97
91st
The beautiful imagery and almost alien sounds of Antarctica combine with Herzog's introspective narration on life and nature, culminating in a documentary that is as close to perfect as he can get. It wasn't filmed so much as shots were taken and the message emerged.
Rated 04 Jan 2009
45
21st
There are some breathtaking underwater shots but mostly Herzog just concentrates on asking quite random questions from a thousand different people and shooting at the ugliest places he can find.
Rated 24 Jan 2009
83
72nd
The landscape and nature shots are nice, but it's the bizarre collection of people Herzog meets that makes this really unique. Also, that little penguin is not only cute and sad, but also symbolic.
Rated 30 Jan 2009
80
79th
Great stuff. Covering the wonderfully and weird people, things and environment of our most mysterious continent. And the choral score is haunting and very fitting. Well worth a look, although it's kind of like Planet Earth's strange cousin.
Rated 11 Feb 2009
81
74th
Much more than a documentary on Antarctica, Encounters celebrates human life and scientific discovery while warning that our extinction is inevitable. The alien-like underwater creatures, celestial soundtrack, and even Herzog's odd accent will hypnotize you.
Rated 17 Feb 2009
75
49th
Herzog's documentary about his encounters with people and nature in Antarctica, it offers us a vision of strangeness and beauty intertwined. The photography is, as expected, often stunning, complete with underwater vistas and icy, barren landscapes. A solitary penguin roaming toward nowhere is a quintessential Herzogian image. However, the film never quite seems to cohere or build momentum. A conglomeration of interesting moments, yes, but in need of something to hold it together.
Rated 01 Mar 2009
90
93rd
As Herzog points out, a place where phds are regularly washing dishes truly has to be remarkable. The documentary is amazing in what it chooses to focus on and gives a fresh take of human life.
Rated 13 Mar 2009
50
20th
Not enough substance for a documentary. Werner Herzog was more annoying than anything else. The film was more about Herzog coming up with some witty lines and less about the beautiful Antarctica.
Rated 14 Jul 2009
84
80th
This is wonderful, Herzog takes this alien landscape and these strange people but makes sure that we understand how it really does tie into the rest of the world as well. The science is interesting on its own, but it's the scientists and their stories who are always the focus here.
Rated 19 Aug 2009
90
85th
Wonderful film. I'm finding Herzog's documentaries to be among the most moving films I've ever seen. They also consistently force me to reevaluate how I view other people's documentaries. Herzog is really are in a league of his own. He goes out of his way, to his credit, to show the audience that a documentary is (perhaps) more about the Documentarian than about the subject. Truly great stuff. If you havn't seen a Herzog film, pick one at random (or this one) and you'll likely strike gold.
Rated 09 Apr 2010
55
50th
"Is there such a thing as insanity among penguins?" lol herzog...
Rated 24 Apr 2010
88
95th
Herzog knows his way around a camera, and his narration always provides a soothing atmosphere. Everything here is relevant, and interesting--even though the majority isn't as exotic as one would think. I'm glad Herzog is as productive as he is, because he produces some great work.
Rated 17 Oct 2010
85
84th
Engrossing documentary about Antarctica, it's landscape, wildlife and the people who study it. Herzog makes this a unique, must-watch movie.
Rated 02 Jan 2011
65
38th
Surprisingly boring
Rated 22 Feb 2011
86
82nd
Some beautiful shots, some interesting characters (both human and otherwise), and Herzog's great sense of symbolic irony. One part I loved was the lone penguin, mysteriously compelled to roam off on his own into the mountains to face certain death; a great allegory for human nature. Lesser filmmakers would take this metaphor and shove it down our throats, but Herzog's subtlety makes the moment resonate and we reflect on it as the themes of the movie fall into place.
Rated 28 Aug 2011
87
90th
Breathtaking images with fitting angelic music. Antartica gave me the impression of being a beautiful alien planet. Those diving scenes were amazing
Rated 02 Jan 2012
84
79th
More than the wildlife and the land itself, it's mostly about the people who chose to live on the frozen landscape of the Antarctic. The strange and oddball folk that Herzog finds, all have very fascinating stories and views on the world, and they end up stealing the spotlight from the glorious Ice landmarks. Though I suspect that was the point, to discover what compelled Herzog and others to go into this(and other)inhospitable world. The penguin going off into the unknown marks it perfectly.
Rated 12 Jan 2012
87
90th
Herzog travels to a different world and can still find all kinds of interesting personalities, both human and animal. It is a world where a penguin's determined trek towards mountains seventy kilometers away that will end in certain death becomes a touching metaphor for life. And it's always fun to listen to Herzog talk, especially his sarcastic hatred for sunlight, ice cream, and ATMs.
Rated 12 Mar 2013
80
68th
Of course the landscapes and underwater footage looks lovely and the animals are quite interesting (astonishing penguin scene!) but it is the "professional dreamers" he encounters - astounding people with wonderful stories, eccentric personalities and intriguing views on life presented with great humanity - that make this great.
Rated 09 May 2014
83
95th
That fucking penguin, man...
Rated 04 Nov 2014
7
92nd
the penguin walking hundreds of miles to its inevitable death is the perfect metaphor. that scene was overwhelming. with yet more astounding photography and a werner herzog who seems a bit more bitter than usual, this is one more in a long line of extraordinary portraits of nature and psyche that this director has conjured from the aether. twentieth herzog.
Rated 24 May 2015
80
80th
That one fucking penguin.
Rated 06 Feb 2018
3
38th
Herzog is always more interested in the encounters than he is in the ends of the world to which he travels, and this film slowly finds itself fascinated with the symbiotic relationship which humanity has with nature: reverent and insatiably curious towards a monolith which regards it, if at all, with a sort of detached bemusement.
Rated 02 May 2020
50
28th
A real disappointment for me. Apart from the penguin, this was lacklustre, which is saying something for a Herzog film. This is as close to lazy film making as it comes for Herzog. Not sure if it is the people featured or Herzog's take on things, but it does not work for me.
Rated 03 Jul 2008
79
58th
Beautifully Herzogian...and educational too!
Rated 09 Jul 2008
80
68th
Um... Herzog didn't make the nature documentary you might expect. In fact, I'm not totally sure WHAT this is supposed to be about. Whatever it is, though, I like it
Rated 18 Nov 2008
98
94th
beautiful and strange. Herzog is Herzog!
Rated 29 Dec 2008
80
70th
M: 80/100 S: 79/100 Mike: Werner Herzog is such a strange filmmaker and that is what makes his films great. I will never stop wondering what causes penguins to have nervous breakdowns... Sophia: Some really beautiful footage of antartica especially the underwater scenes. It never ceases to amuse me to quote Werner in conversation.
Rated 12 Jan 2009
85
76th
Werner Herzog almost always equals a great movie, and this one is no different. Focusing largely on the human population of Antarctica as well as glimpses at some of the wildlife living above and below the ice, it's a memorable journey that works well as a follow-up documentary to The Grizzly Man.
Rated 12 Feb 2009
70
34th
Offers up some interesting (and often visually beautiful) nuggets, but never becomes a cohesive film.
Rated 02 Mar 2009
73
43rd
Nice shots, but Herzog floats about, trying to make some epic poem out of his experiences, alleviating them to epitomes for the fate of humanity and the earth. Feels very dishonest and desperate.
Rated 19 Mar 2009
35
86th
"Herzog's fascination with the human mind is trumped only by his fear and loathing of the powerful forces of nature that continually crush it."
Rated 09 Apr 2009
89
88th
the scene of the suicidal penguin is magnificent and breath-taking
Rated 25 Apr 2009
3
40th
"Mid-list Herzog, but still a stimulating, strange experience. And that tragically perverse penguin is the most memorable movie animal of the year."
Rated 28 Apr 2009
65
58th
Planet Earth has ruined nature documentaries for me forever. However, the psychological and philosophical ideas that Herzog bandies about are fairly intriguing. The mad penguin scene is terrific.
Rated 01 May 2009
75
63rd
Interesting and surprisingly funny documentary about the eccentrics living and working in Antarctica.
Rated 20 May 2009
78
30th
some MINDBLOWING footage but theres not enough of a concentration of beautiful images speaking for themselves. its a little to wordy and dull at points but im glad i got to see antarctica from this perspective
Rated 03 Dec 2009
82
76th
It sure is a different take on all those boring National Geographic documentaries. I loved it from beginning to end.
Rated 22 Dec 2009
80
80th
Turns what you would believe to be a barren landscape full of scientists into an interesting documentary about the landscape and the unique people who live there. Even though there's a combination of lots of different characters and ideas theres still an overarching message and beauty. The scene with the penguins is heartbreaking. Besides all this, there's some breathtaking footage of the waters underneath Antarctica. It's nice to have some documentaries with an overall theme.
Rated 24 Dec 2009
14
75th
The juxtaposition of eccentric---positively outre--figures with the raw, untameable beauty of the landscape they find themselves in is this film's greatest strength, and it succeeds on the strength of it alone. Antarctica, as one might expect, attracts as residents the more off-kilter members of humanity; with subjects as bizarre and interesting as these, someone like Herzog was always going to have a field day.
Rated 31 Jan 2010
70
78th
Another fantastic Herzog docmentary.
Rated 22 Feb 2010
86
75th
Hilarious! Beautiful! Interesting!
Rated 08 Nov 2010
74
55th
In my mind, Herzog continues to be a better scout for subject matter than actual documentarian. At least he doesn't attempt to overwhelm his subjects with his own persona as he did in Grizzly Man (he seems a little reverent of the scientists here), as it's definitely they who do all the heavy lifting. I found the narration mostly extraneous, and was thankful for the moments he just let the sounds and images speak for themselves. Great footage/landscape, interesting people and worthwhile overall.
Rated 13 Jan 2011
75
66th
About what one would expect from a Herzog documentary about Antarctica. Herzog lets us know from the outset that he isn't here to study the penguins, and his interview with a penguin expert at one point in the film makes us well aware of this (Herzog opts to ask about homosexual penguins and madness, much to the bewilderment of the scientist). Instead Herzog focuses on the variety of fascinating individuals who populate these frozen expanses.
Rated 23 May 2011
90
93rd
Somehow Herzog manages to make himself out to be the sanest person on that continent and serves to be a type of comedic relief. He captures the nitty gritty reality of being an inhabitant of such a desolate/depressing place and shows how it takes a certain skin to withstand such conditions. I think the National Science Foundation just may have picked the right filmmaker for this gig.
Rated 30 May 2011
80
39th
No one can do it better than Herzog!
Rated 25 Aug 2011
80
75th
Confirms what I always suspected: anyone who wants to go to Antarctica is insane.
Rated 10 Oct 2011
87
87th
Science and philosophy on the rocks.
Rated 27 Oct 2011
30
78th
"Offers an experience that is best summed up by a phrase seen carved in a McMurdo wood banister: "I sink into bliss."" - Nick Schager
Rated 15 Nov 2011
75
71st
Philosophizing Antarctica researchers, man's battle against nature and his own nature, and penguins wandering off to certain death. Fate in Herzog restored.
Rated 30 Jan 2012
84
78th
After the "pensive" scuba diver announces his supposed retirement and lists a bunch of sea monsters he's encountered (failing to mention how small they are until the end!), herzog asks him what he thinks about the idea that humans evolved from creatures that ran away from/escaped the ocean out of fear, thus luring him into unconsciously talking about himself. He successfully does roughly the same thing with the penguin man. Is it manipulative? I don't know or care. It works.
Rated 10 Apr 2012
77
76th
If I were to go to Antarctica, I'd definitely want Herzog as my companion.
Rated 18 Sep 2012
70
36th
I don't like Werner Herzog's directorial style and personality. I feel like it is manipulative and heavy-handed. However, I have always been attracted to Antarctica and its many wonders, so watching this film was still very enjoyable. The people he meets are quite interesting, and the video footage is beautiful. I dislike how he incorporates spiritualism into nature. I think nature is most powerful when it's taken for it's physical and aesthetic grandeur, rather than corrupting it with religion.
Rated 26 Sep 2012
50
52nd
More like an Antarctic road trip than an attempt at a documentary with a coherent subject. It didn't really click for me. The interviewees, while doubtless fascinating people, come across as strained and distant. It's as if Herzog never managed to connect with any of them. The landscapes filmed are amazing, but rather than let the imagery speak for itself Herzog taints it with overblown choral arrangements and his own, rather dull, philosophical musings. An unsatisfying film.
Rated 30 Nov 2012
70
61st
It's a loosely bound collection of miscellany filmed at the McMurdo Station, a 1,000-person settlement of researchers in Antarctica, during the five-month "austral summer" of round-the-clock sunlight. Herzog was sent to Antarctica by the National Science Foundation with carte blanche to make whatever movie he wanted--all he could tell them for sure was that it wouldn't involve penguins.
Rated 04 Feb 2013
75
75th
while antarctica is indeed an amazingly mesmerizing place, herzog really needs to tone down his pseudo-philosophical whimsiness and focus on directing.
Rated 15 Mar 2013
80
67th
All the humans seem very nice and interesting, but this documentary is at its best when it shows the nature and animals of Antarctica.
Rated 17 Jun 2013
70
37th
Good movie in a place rarely seen but not really the biggest fan of Herzog himself.
Rated 16 Jul 2013
5
73rd
nature is for herzog a fearful thing, an "ocean of chaos and darkness" over which our every construct and conceit is a sheath; only in the midst of that sublime fear is he truly alive it seems. moving out into the icy wastes then, themselves thin layers between man and beast, he inevitably comes into his own...
Rated 13 Sep 2013
60
69th
A bit aimless but still entertaining and passes the time rather well. It seems like Herzog just took an unusual vacation, interviewed some random, interesting people while there, and decided to call it a documentary. His insightful interviewing style saves the film.
Rated 13 Sep 2013
70
76th
The title describes perfectly what the film is about. They encounter a bunch of scientists and other people working in Antarctica but also seals, penguins and the weird creatures living under the ice. The documentary is a little bit uneven and some parts are more interesting than others. Some shots are breathtaking, making the film visually very interesting.
Rated 13 Sep 2013
75
89th
A look at the Antarctic through the lense of the brilliant Werner Herzog.
Rated 17 Nov 2013
90
89th
The lack of a singular unifying narrative is an issue but the trademark interesting people and musical interludes are especially enjoyable here so it's forgiven.
Rated 07 Aug 2014
85
85th
Like a video postcard from the human soul, via the Antarctic. Captures the beauty and enigmatic wonder of both nature and people.
Rated 09 Oct 2014
90
88th
9 Ekim 2014 & Izlemekten zevk aldigim, Herzog'un Antartika'da bir yerde calisan insanlar ve hayatlari ve hayalleri hakkindaki kisisel oldugu kadar felsefi filmi. 'Varolussal penguen' bolumunu unutabilecegimi sanmiyorum.
Rated 05 Dec 2014
75
68th
A delicate work about nature and our attractions with it, but maybe I am too distanced from the nature to be impressed that much, anyway the part about the penguin heading to mountains was special.
Rated 09 Aug 2015
80
59th
Perfect documentary if you enjoy melancholy and desolate landscapes.
Rated 09 Jun 2016
90
83rd
Another incredible documentary from Herzog. The contrast between the human encampment and the underwater beauty is striking. Funnier, too, than some of Herzog's other docs, and you can sense a twinge of bemusement at the plight of the penguins and of some of the stranger folks who occupy Antarctica.
Rated 13 May 2017
50
24th
It's alright, from what I remember.
Rated 18 Aug 2018
95
87th
What I've Learned: Werner Herzog thinks there are too many penguin documentaries. Werner Herzog thinks yoga studios are an abomination. Werner Herzog loathes the sun. No wonder I like this guy's movies.
Rated 21 Aug 2018
50
60th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-50j6K6N_s
Rated 10 Jan 2020
68
66th
The greatness of the wandering penguin scene is not its allegorical significance for human life but its tragic view of nature. As it wanders off to its certain death, we understand how difficult it is to interpret nature through human values. It's tragi-comic because the penguin does not know it is marching slowly towards its own demise, yet it continues unfettered towards its destination. The rest is another interesting, if typical, Herzogian look at outsiders working in extreme conditions.
Rated 17 Sep 2020
95
96th
Through Herzog's lens, the arctic appears foreboding, bleak, and unknowably vast (there's an underwater shot that I swear looks like the eye of Cthulhu); and so whenever he interviews a scientist talking about studying some single-cell organism, or geological specimen, or the milk of certain seal species, they seem absurd, almost petty. He's far more interested in the personal stories and idiosyncrasies hidden within Antarctica than in the scientific potential (which makes for a far better f
Rated 07 Jul 2021
7
77th
Herzog rambling in McMurdo, Antarctica, which seems like a surprisingly happening place. Herr Herzog gives us an early warning that he did not travel all that way to make a film about cute penguins, then of course the penguins steal the movie anyway. Breathtaking to look at, obviously, and sometimes very moving.

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