Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Film Response: Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Candidate’s Name
Institution’s Name
Introduction
Aguirre, the Wrath of God, is produced by Werner Herzog who utilizes his imagination to express the story of a Spanish conquistadors’ struggle in the Amazon forest in a quest for El Dorado, the lost gold city (Burgos, 2014). Pedro de Ursua guides the group in the hunt for food within the plague-filled territory. Rapidly the faction fragments as treachery, as well as greed for power, make Ursua to be toppled by Aguirre. Aguirre then puts an inept nobleman Guzman as figurehead ruler, denying their loyalty to Emperor Philip II (Burgos, 2014). Meanwhile, Aguirre kills Guzman for his ineptness then assumes power. Eventually, however, the native of the land, as well as Aguirre, kills the entire faction, and Aguirre is abandoned in his lunacy and suspicion on the river, encircled just by apes (Burgos, 2014).
Film Response
The movie portrays many issues on the land ownership as well as offers a fascinating glance into the way individuals act if they want lands. The protagonist, Aguirre believes that he has the right to acquire every land which the faction passes through (Burgos, 2014). This is similar to the other renowned travelers from the historical times. Similar to other travelers in the past, the faction come across indigenous communities staying on these lands, but totally disregarded their rights on their lands and took over the lands for their personal gains. As evidenced by historical facts, this form of land acquisition does not always delight the indigenous occupants, and the indigenous communities in this film are no exemption.

Due to the groups’ disrespect to the indigenous inhabitants, the group’s members all end up being killed by the natives.
Secondly, the movie illustrates the theme of human sufferings and struggles. The threats the group encounters are actual and like in real life, they must be encountered time and again. The power of the river impends all through the film, and the group must befriend it instead of opposing it if they desired to succeed. This is similar to the choices in real life, where people have options to choose to succeed or fail through their actions. Moreover, the wilderness is symbolically used to mean the dangers that humans face in real life. For example, the landscape, indigenous savages, and perilous fast-moving water spell calamity for all these treasure seekers (Burgos, 2014). Further, to the ending of the film Aguirre is solely abandoned inside the dangerous wilderness surrounded with several apes. It is a prolific illustration of how lonely people may feel in dangerous situations as well as how weak the humans are as contrasted to the threats which wait in the forest.
Thirdly, there is the theme of egoism where Aguirre makes judgments founded on his selfishness, and it does not concern him how his decisions impact other people (Burgos, 2014). It is illustrated when he moves to his self-professed aim of supremacy and eminence, such as when he elects Guzman, and at the time he murders all the people towards the end of the movie.
Fourth, the theme of imperialism has been depicted through the obvious comparison between the way of life of the travelers and the indigenous communities. Even if the group held the tenets of the traditional stylish Spanish customs strongly, it minimally assisted the faction. However, observing their culture made them feel superior to the indigenous societies and empowering them to rule the natives.
Furthermore, the movie is the producer’s revolt against the civilization principles as well as the tussle involving civilization and nature (Burgos, 2014). The group depicts civilization that comes to the foreign land to conquer lands and hunt for treasures. They are, however, defeated by nature (wilderness) and the natives who fight to safeguard their lands.
Lastly, the film depicts the inner wars that people fight within themselves. This struggle is fought in Aguirre who, as he submerges into lunacy, goes with the people who he promised to guide (Burgos, 2014). Selfishness, insanity, and brutality are the feature which describes Aguirre, and he may be described as the total of all disgraceful qualities which could perhaps subsist in a man, and he represents the evil side of people that no one will confess to possessing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the movie was produced at the beginning of the end of 20th C and is the complete awareness of the things which may occur when greediness is permitted its complete manifestation. It portrays the themes of human struggles, suffering, and land ownership. It utilizes the symbols of wilderness, rivers and civilization and the civilization’s collapse when challenged with the natural world as well as the indigenous. Although these characters have suffered very much, they were able to succeed.
References
Burgos, A. M. D. (2014). The Wrath of God: Lope de Aguirre, Revolutionary of the Americas by Evan L. Balkan (review). Studies in Latin American Popular Culture, 32(1), 168-170. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/545575/pdf