Ìý User Rating 
To watch "Aguirre: Wrath of God" is to encounter one of those rare films that sits with you long after you've finished watching it. The powerful and near demonic screen presence of Klaus Kinski, combined with the very real danger of the nature that surrounds him and Herzog's gift for making every shot count, is quite remarkable.
Kinski is Aguirre and it is hard to imagine better casting. He is part of an expedition of conquistadors, sent to find the fabled El Dorado, the city of gold. When the going becomes too tough for the leader Ursua, he overthrows him and leads his men on an odyssey to hell. His rousing call that "Fortune smiles on the brave and spits on the coward" is the last comfort that he can offer as the uncharted jungle territory claims its victims.
Much of the adventure takes place on rafts as Kinski urges and pummels his men to their destiny. The Peruvian river settings are in truth deadly dangerous, and Herzog expertly captures the immense power of nature against man. It is to Kinski's credit then that he is able to produce a performance of such invincible intensity. And while he stands firm, the madness around him grows as the other men are picked off one by one by the seemingly invisible Indians that hide on the jungle banks.
Despite the haunting and hypnotic power of the film, it runs at only 95 minutes. Herzog doesn't indulge himself despite the tempting locations and cast. The pace is fast and the destructive and ominous theme of power confused with madness, strong and powerful. But while it is over quite quickly, the film sits with you far beyond the running time.
The DVD release date above refers to the Region 2 edition. Read a review of the Region 1 disc.
