User Reviews

For 350 years, Spain built a vast empire in South America based on the labor and exploitation of the Indian population, forcing them to accept Christianity while decimating their culture, religion, and even their language. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, "rubber barons" rounded up all the Indians and forced them to tap rubber out of the trees in rainforest zones leading to slavery and human rights abuses. Winner of the top Director's Fortnight Award at Cannes and Colombia's submission to the Oscars in the Best Foreign Film category, Ciro Guerra's ("The Wind Journeys") Embrace of the Serpent (El abrazo de la serpiente) provides a powerful insight into the effects of colonialism on an indigenous population.

The film, in which nine different languages are spoken, follows two interconnected stories based on the travel journals of two Amazonian explorers thirty years apart, German scientist Theodor Koch-Grunberg (Jan Bijvoet, "Borgman") and American plant enthusiast Richard Evans Schultes (Brionne Davis, "Avenged"). Both men are seeking the Yakruna plant to discover its powerful ability to heal. The two explorers are accompanied by the Amazonian shaman Karamakate (Niblio Torres as a young man and Antonio Bolivar as the elder) not only to find the sacred plant for research purposes but to learn deeper truths about themselves and the nature of reality. Karamakate, the last surviving member of his tribe, guards the secrets of Yakruna, a last symbol of independence for his people.

Filmed in black and white by cinematographer David Gallego ("Cecilia"), it is the first film to be shot on location in the Amazon in thirty years and its gorgeous kaleidoscope of rivers and forests, and the blending of time creates a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere, fortified by native songs and chants. As the film begins, a young Karamakate, armed with a spear and dressed in native attire, stands menacingly as a boat approaches the shore containing the German scientist and his companion Manduca (Yauenku Migue), a native dressed in white man's clothing.

Manduca asks the shaman to cure the explorer who is very sick, but Karamakate, who is familiar with the destructive nature of the white man, refuses. When Theo tells him, however, that he has seen survivors of his people and will take him to them, the young shaman agrees as long as the white man follows his "prohibitions" about disturbing the natural flow of the jungle. The two scientists, Theo in 1909 and Evan in 1940, follow the same path and explore the same places drastically changed over the years. Karamakate, as he did with Theo, acts as Evan's guide and considers himself as a "chullachaqui," an empty shell of a human being, and must become a man once more in tune with nature.

Two scenes stand out. After a night of singing and dancing with a native group and demonstrating Western technology, Theodor becomes angry when a member of the group wants to keep his compass in exchange for goods. To rationalize his anger, he tells Karamakate that owning a compass would disturb their traditions of finding locations through the sun and stars, but the shaman tells him "You cannot forbid them to learn. Knowledge belongs to all men." The other scene is one of pure horror when a priest (Luigi Sciamanna, "Secreto de Confesion") at a Spanish mission is found brutally whipping his young students until Theodor intervenes.

Despite an element of religious madness that feels out of sync with the tone of the film, Embrace of the Serpent soars when its focus is on spiritual awareness. The shaman tells both scientists the need to unburden themselves of their material possessions and explore the mystery of consciousness alone without their physical and psychological baggage. They cannot be cured of their illness, he tells them, because they have forgotten how to dream. After Evan ingests a native plant following a heated exchange with Karamakate, a montage of brilliant, swirling colors pushes the boundary of what we think is real and allows us to remember how to dream.

For the things we don't see, or weren't around to see, 'Embrace of the Serpent' attempts to re-image a dark past in our history.

Karmakate is the last survivor of his tribe, living in the heart of the Colombian Amazon. At two separate points in time, he is asked by foreign scientists' Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evan Schultes -- both with different purposes -- on how to find a scared healing plant. The film borrows a lot of its content from their diaries from when they had commissioned Karmakate to help them in 1909 and 1940, respectively. He is conflicted as he has no ambition to help "the White man" because his tribe was wiped from the Earth by them, and he lives his days by himself.

The film doesn't beat around the bush. As it progresses, it becomes evident that the story is about the devastation of colonialism and what it had done to the land & its people. Everything from spreading Catholicism to Rubber Farming, more and more they see the land changing for the worse.

It was impressive to not only hear these actors speaking Spanish, but also being able to converse in the native tongue of the locals, including the several other languages that were used through out the film. Couple that with the beautiful cinematography, and you have yourself quite the masterpiece.

Fans of Miguel Gomes' 'Tabu' would likely enjoy this. Shot in black and white. Beautiful transitions and landscape shots. Winner of the Art Cinema Award at Cannes. Expect this film to go for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.

Embrace of the Serpent deserves a special mention of the movies I watched at the 8th Bengaluru International Film Festival. Loved the way this movie delineates the Amazon, Culture, People, their belief, their love for the spirit called LIFE transcending from reality to fantasy effortlessly. Though its loosely based on the diaries of the 2 scientist, the movie gives a collective account of what it would have been to witness those times and see the true dark side of the Colonial enforcements and the resulting destruction of culture, people, nature on a wide range of a scale. The rich monochrome frames simply captivates ones mind and more importantly, the lack of background scores at times adds the muscle to the already strong Amazon backdrop. The forest & the river has this captivating power which sucks you into it and makes one feel as if he/she is also a part of the journey through time. Those handpicked tribal actors are out of the world truly - especially both the young and the old Karamakate - inspirational stuff. Certainly not to be missed.

Another Ciro Guerra's masterpiece. Fascinating movie. After "The wind Journeys" Guerra shows again his talent with an incredible history about the Amazonas jungle back in the early 1900s. The beauty and uniqueness of the scenes is mind blowing. The sound takes you deep inside the jungle. The story is a thriller that makes you live the most strange adventures that you could ever imagine in the jungle. It is based on two diaries written by a German and American travelers. All actors have an incredible command of the indigenous dialect. Additionally, the native indigenous actors seem to be truly professionals. Enjoyed every single minute. A must see.

It is comforting that there are many ways to beauty, wisdom, healing and splendor. Yet, by neglect and ignorance, we risk losing many of them. This compelling and radiant black and white film takes viewers on an ethno-botanical journey to a faraway place, deep into the Colombian Amazon. The film blends fact and fiction and traces the parallel canoe explorations by a German explorer, Theodor Koch- Grunberg in 1909, and an American scientist, Richard Evans, in the 1940s. Both explorers meet the same native medicine man, Karamakate. Their ensuing explorations together, ostensibly in search of an elusive flower with amazing medicinal properties, leads them to discoveries within themselves as well as in the forest. "Listen to what the river can tell you," says Karamakate "every tree, every flower brings wisdom."

The only way to heal is by learning how to dream. They emerge from the forests as different men. What unites them is their love of plants. The film takes a balanced view of each character and puts no one on a pedestal. The cinematography is enthralling, the soundtrack is mesmerizing and the acting is superb. The only downside is that the film might benefit from more money and support (or it could detract from it as well, I'm not sure). The film creates a needed space for consideration and dialogue between diverse cultures. We neglect and abuse other cultures, and the environment, at our peril. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival 2015.

The world is sick. Everyone knows it. As we have become more separated from and disrespectful to Nature, it has responded in ways that we are just beginning to feel. The perfect storm of organized religion aiding capitalistic industries to feed Western- style urbanization was all initially conceived and supervised by my ancestors, exploiting the labor of indigenous peoples who had lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years. I am a white American of Christian-European ancestry. The core of our white insanity was our total belief in a "God-granted" right to subdue the natural world for our own misguided purposes. Now, almost all peoples of the world have taken on this same insanity and the exploitation of natural resources has intensified exponentially. It's all wrong. It's all bad. It's all going to end horribly. Our only hope is for all of us -- or at least, most of us -- to turn away from mindless consumerism and return to simpler lifestyles where less is more and a healthy planet is seen as our only real asset. This extraordinary movie is a masterpiece that makes all of these points. In the future, if humans have to leave a decimated Earth for some gamble on interstellar colonization, I hope they get to watch this movie before they begin again.

Honestly, how this didn't get one iota of the hype that Son of Saul got is beyond me. As far as I'm concerned, the real winner of that Oscar for foreign-language film. It's so incredibly fixating and transportive in the world it creates. The cinematography is exquisite, the sound design impressive, and the directorial achievement here is just incredible. I never entirely understood everything that was going on, but it didn't stop the film from fully capturing me. The acting is also uniformly strong, and the film could have been even more confusing had it not been to the spectacular editing, which did a great job going from one storyline to the next, and one timeline to the other. I just think this is a really magical, really special film. It deserves to be seen by many more people than it has.

Interesting look at the lifestyle of the Amazon people in the vanishing jungle where a shaman deals with two diverse characters , being first Colombian film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film . The amazing story of the relationship between Karamakate (Nilbio Torres -Young Karamakate-, Antonio Bolívar -Old Karamakate- and all the natives of the film are natural actors) and two scientists who seek a magic plant , Theo (Jan Bijvoet) and Evan (Brionne Davis) . As decades apart , an Amazonian shaman and last survivor of his people , and two scientists who work together over the course of 40 years to search the Amazon for a sacred healing flower . It's based on two true stories, linked together by one remarkable man and , perhaps, the most famous, celebrated river in the world, the Amazon . And the man is Karamakate, the last shaman of his jungle tribe . We first meet him in 1940 , deep into his sixties as played by Antonio Bolivar, when he encounters a man foreign to his home, an American scientist Richard Evans Schultes (Brionne Davis) . The rain forest of the Amazon are disappearing at the rate of 5000 acres day . Four million Indians once lives there , nowadays 120.000 remain .

Embrace Of The Serpent is one such cinematic experience which brought a deserved Academy Award Nomination . Ecological thriller that has in highlighting the destruction of the South American rain woods by the rubbers ; being based upon a real story , on diaries by scientists Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evan Schultes , both of whom delve into the Amazonian rainforest in search of a rare plant with medicinal and hallucinatory qualities, with the assistance of a local shaman on opposite ends of his own life journey . An ecological adventure with mystical touches that was ahead of its time in denounce about forest destruction , including some disconcerting scenes , as the frames where a man is praised to be the Messiah is based on an actual event . Embrace of the Serpent attempts to frame the destruction of the rain forest's ecology and peoples as a slow-motion tragedy on scales both personal and cultural , but it is more intriguing in its ambitions, which frustrate it, than in it successes, which are limited . This exciting film contains thrills , emotion , adventure and marvelous scenes from deep rainy forest that generate a lot of surprises and illusion . This film has got some images "stuck in their head" including several sequences can stay in your brain for a long, long while .

Glamorous and lush cinematography by David Gallego who photographs wonderfully the Amazon jungle , obviously filmed under difficult conditions on location . Shot in black-and-white, which is at once visually distinctive but also rather flattening . Evocative musical score by Nascuy Linares and the music Evan plays on the gramophone is Haydn's "The Creation". This engrossing and enjoyable film with interesting screenplay by Ciro Guerra and Jacques Toulemonde Vidal was well directed by Ciro Guerra . He's a good professional filmmaking giving various Colombian successes such as Los Viajes Del Viento (2009) and La Sombra Del Caminante (2004) . Rating "Embrace of the Serpent" : Better than average . Wholesome watching .

Just saw this amazing film. Came home and told my wife how awesome it was, "never saw anything like it." (I know she won't see it because she can't stand seeing snakes, but that's a different story). But, I have to admit, it does remind me of other films. Yes, someone mentioned "2001: A Space Odyssey," but, considering the gorgeous black & white cinematography, and the theme of white men being guided to heightened consciousness by a shamanic character, I have to cite Jim Jarmusch's wonderful "Dead Man" in the American West.

The two actors playing the young and older shaman were phenomenal.

I don't think the scene of religious madness is out of place, because it contrasts effectively with the predominant theme of naturalistic and cultural spiritualism.

Visually, it is spectacular.

We need more movies like this. I hate lil domestic dramas that belong on network TV. And I'll add that I hate comic book superhero movies (are we ready to hurl yet?)

And ya know what, since there's a surfeit of great dramas and visionary brilliance such as that of Stanley Kubrick and Paul Thomas Anderson, I don't care to see so many g-damn documentaries in theaters. If I want non-fiction, I'll read a book (but then I don't often read non- fiction books either!)

We need stories! Myths (not comic book myths), imagination! Visions!

This great film fit the bill. Something WAY out of the ordinary.

Epic drama looking at 2 scientists, visiting the Colombian Amazon rainforest, 30 years apart and both being guided by the same isolated shamen. Both men are ostensibly seeking a rare plant with healing properties and must learn to understand the shamans beliefs who is distrustful of white men following massacres and jungle destruction by Colombians seeking rubber.

Beautiful to look at and never boring, this slowly takes you on something of an odyssey to explore the needs of man versus the desires of the locals to maintain their beliefs and care for the Jungle. It is not a fast film, but a rewarding, thought provoking watch.

Asked by a European scientist to track down a plant with reputed curative powers, an elderly native Amazonian recalls how he helped another Caucasian man on a similar quest four decades earlier in this Oscar nominated drama from Colombia. The film is lusciously shot in black and white with excellent attention to on-location sound and the performances of the four main players are very strong as the film flips between the present-day and past adventures as recalled by the Amazonian. Several interesting ideas surface in the first half of the film as the past scientist expresses reluctance to leave his compass behind with an indigenous tribe, lest it change their culture and understanding of the world, while at the same time oblivious to the fact that his own very presence is enough to provide a rift in their world. Is not, however, until over an hour in that the film truly takes off as the present-day scientist visits a tribe where the missionaries have been ironically crucified and a fake messiah (dressed to look like traditional images of Jesus no less) is worshipped. While this religious fanaticism angle sadly only lasts for around half an hour, it remains the high point of the movie, highlighting just how detrimental European presence has the potential to be in the untouched wild with the "worst of both worlds" come together. This might not be the easiest film to endure with deliberate pacing and many periods of sparse dialogue, but the impression it leaves is hard to shake.

"Embrace of the Serpent" is a beautifully photographed movie with some good acting, but these virtues are offset by a story line that is confused and awash with clichés. In essence, this is a movie about how whites and native people interacted in the Amazon during the good old days, and the portrayal of those interactions has two modes for each race that we have seen many times before in countless films. The whites are either crazy visionaries or corrupt, greedy and filled with self-loathing; the "natives" are either benevolent spirit guides and faithful servants of the whites or they are malevolent and dangerous to the whites (mostly because of the injustices inflicted on them previously by the whites). Here we see these character types in their unadulterated forms, behaving habitually according to type; this gives us the feeling we've seen "Embrace of the Serpent" before the first frame unspools.

Despite the unoriginal premise that animates it, this movie isn't painful to watch. There's plenty of action to divert your attention, and as already noted it is easy on the eyes. I must say, though, that I found the ending to be particularly lame. To say more about the ending would be to give away something that you have, nonetheless, already too often seen elsewhere.

The one thing that is a little bit different and positive about "Embrace of the Serpent" is that there are two timelines that intermingle -- the first one being in the early part of the 20th century and the second about 40 years later. The way the movie flows between these two timelines, which run in parallel during the film, is intriguing and well handled, particularly from the photographic point of view.

If you like glorious black and white photography featuring exotic scenes you'll appreciate the visuals; if you like predictable stories about whites exploiting "natives" and the pernicious, long-lasting effects of the exploitation you'll appreciate the plot. If neither of those happens to be true for you, this might not be your kind of movie.

A very good movie which reflects the tragic history of peoples Amazon between the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Us shows the messianic movements of indigenous peoples, exploitation, ill treatment and killings carried out by the rubber, the indoctrination by the missionaries, the Colombo-Peruvian war, etc. It also gives us a glimpse of the culture of these peoples, the use of powerful hallucinogens in ritual ceremonies to communicate with the spirits of nature, knowledge of the environment, importance of the river and the jungle and the anaconda and jaguars. Finally a production well documented and that through a history very well achieved introduces us to cosmology and history of the peoples Amazon.

"Embrace of the Serpent" (2015 release from Colombia; 125 min.) brings the story of two explorers who, 3 decades apart (1909 and 1940, respectively) explore the Amazon region, albeit with very different motives. They both end up enlisting the help of the same man, Karmakate, one of the few remaining shamans.

Couple of comments: first, it takes a while to fully understand and grasp what is really happening, and that the local is the same man, simply 30 years older than before. It eventually also becomes clear that this film calls out "the white man" for what he has done to the jungle and the indigenous peoples. At some point Theo (the first explorer) and his two travel mates come to a Mission, where a priest runs things. Later on, the effects of the 'rubber wars' become all too clear. Second, the movie is shot in gorgeous black and white. This is the second film in a row that I've seen in theaters that is in B&W, what are the chances? (the other film was "Creative Control"). Third, Belgian actor Jan Bijvoet gives a truly stunning performance as Theo. You will be blown away. "Embrace of the Serpent was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar this year. While it didn't win ("Son of Saul" did), it doesn't diminish anything of the intrinsic quality of this film. With that, I've now finally seen all 5 nominees in the Best Foreign Language Movie Oscar category, and I am amazed at the collective talent in those 5 movies.

"Embrace of the Serpent" opened last weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Sunday early evening screening was attend quite nicely, much better than I had expected. It confirms that there is a market for this type of top-notch quality foreign movie. Truly world cinema at its best. If you get a chance to check it out, be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, do not miss it! "Embrace of the Serpent" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

In early 20th century, Theodor von Martius is a German ethnographer from University of Tübingen cataloging the tribes of the Amazon. He gets sick and is brought to shaman Karamakate by his native guide Manduca. Karamakate distrusts the white men who cruelly run their rubber plantations or missionaries wiping out the native culture. He believes that he's the last of his tribe until Theo tells him about an isolated group of survivors. He guides them back to his former home to find a yakruna plant. About thirty years later, Evan arrives looking for Karamakate. He tells him that Theo died later and Manduca brought his diaries back to Germany to be published. Karamakate claims to be suffering from memory loss and only a hollowed shell copy called chullachaqui.

The river journey is something like the Heart of Darkness. It portrays a harrowing vision of the struggles of the native community. It is enthralling. It is poetic. The characters are compelling. The only minor drawback is the ending which gets overextended. There is probably a quicker and more compelling way to wrap up the movie after what happened in the village. I like the surrealism in the end but it's just a little long.

I love how this movie is put together. By combining the accounts of two explorers - over 30 years apart - it manages to tell a story of a world changing. You can see how actions made by the first explorer directly changes the world of the people they meet. Mostly in a bad way. The movie conveys, with a sadness, how much the people of these tribes lost because of the way they were handled by "white people". But this is not the time tested "gone with the wolves"-story. It's an artistic and stylistic, yet believable, account of the old meeting the new.

One thought though: While it is an interesting discussion why it's in black and white, I think the movie would have been better off in color. At least partly. Black and white is nice, but the jungle scenery in this movie could have been breathtaking in color - but the again, maybe that's the point.

Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at Academy Awards this year, Embrace of the Serpent is an art-house feature that offers its viewers a journey back in time into the very heart of the Amazon rainforest while painting an absorbing portrait of the indigenous culture that was destroyed by colonial invaders.

The story of Embrace of the Serpent covers two sets of events, one taking place in 1909 while the other occurs in 1940. Both segments concern an Amazonian shaman who happens to be the last of his tribe, and covers his relationship with two scientists who are determined to find a rare sacred plant that has healing properties.

Directed by Ciro Guerra, the film carves a fictional but highly original tale from the real-life accounts of the two scientists whose works have made a valuable contribution to the study of indigenous people of South America. Guerre's direction is commendable, for he has crafted this tale with elegance and the film as a whole is as thematically rich as it is beautiful to look at.

Shot in exotic locations & captured in black n white, its greyscale photography is actually fitting for the premise as well as the depicted timeline. Also, the lack of colours sort of reflect the loss of life from the region that was once home to many indigenous cultures. The camera is used like a silent observer and remains motionless for the most part, except for a few tracking shots, but it does add a serene vibe to the story.

Editing nicely intertwines the two story lines that are headed in the same direction, but the pace at which it all unfolds will divide its audience as some will appreciate it while others will be frustrated by its glacial speed. The performances from its cast carry no complaints as everyone chips in with fine contribution in their given roles, but the best input comes from the two actors who play the same character in different segments.

On an overall scale, Embrace of the Serpent is deeply meditative in content but it isn't a film for all. There is clearly a certain section of filmgoing audience that it is aimed at plus it caters well to their needs but for me, this Columbian flick was more or less a stationary experience that never shifted gears throughout its runtime. But I don't despise it for sure. All in all, Embrace of the Serpent is worth a shot but it may strike a better chord with art-house enthusiasts.

I have always been fascinated by the Amazon and the people that have taken up living there. It's one of the few places that is relatively untouched by modern society. And it remains a rather dangerous but exquisite place. One thing that this film did with its pristine setting was suck the color from it. This was a pretty interesting choice. Sucking the color and life, if you will, out of one of the biggest natural areas in the world. And the choice works very well with the film. It seems to be a choice that tells you that this is not a pretty movie. It's not like 'The Jungle Book' where you can gawk at the bright, vibrant landscapes.

No, this is one film that doesn't want you to view it as beautiful. While there are still plenty of jaw dropping shots in the film, they are all captured in high contrast black and white. Not only that but everything is kept fairly close to the main characters. Giving it an almost documentary vibe.

It was a choice that benefits the film significantly. By doing this I can tell that the films director really has a passion for the material. He wants you to know this story in the most realistic way possible. And I very much respect his dedication. As well as all the actors perseverance in this, presumably, harsh environment.

It also helps the message that the film is trying to get across. It talks about race and coming to together, but also about friendship. And how that friendship can transcend decades and lead to helping other colleges of that person. This is what struck me most about 'Embrace of the Serpent.

But the film has a very hard time balancing it all. This is in large part due to it's rather nonexistent story. It revolves around a scientist or two and a native man. They partner together to try and find a rare healing plant. That is pretty much it. Of course they run into other natives and some settlers but aside from this, there is very little actually happening in this film.

Watching a couple of people bicker and quickly make up really only goes so far. With a two plus hour run time this gets very tedious. There are many scenes that seem to have no other purpose than to fill time. This makes for really really uneven pacing. And really really boring scenes.

When there isn't a whole lot of character and a very thin story it's extremely difficult to care about what is going on. For that reason, I found myself checking my watch more than in the three hour 'Hateful Eight'. While this is certainly a technical marvel, and a very original one at that, there just is not enough happening to denote this long of a run time. Its story is thin, the pace uneven, and it's very difficult to care about what is going on. Unless you absolutely love subject matter like this, steer clear.

Antonio Bolivar is a new victim of covid-19, and this april month of 2020 starts without a man who allowed people from the whole world to approach Amazonas reality. This respected Huitoto, actor in two films, will remain as the face of an out of time indigenous dimension of life.

Set in the early to mid-twentieth century in the Colombian Amazon, a shaman, who is the lone survivor of his tribe after it has been wiped out by the white man, guides two explorers on expeditions, forty years apart. Both white scientists seek a sacred plant with healing powers, both for different reasons.

I first have to say that I saw this film with English subtitles that were, shall we say, a little uneven. I should have known I was in for an interesting ride when the English translation of the movie title came up as 'Hug a Snake'! So, I am pretty sure that several things must have been lost in such a translation. This is certainly a contemplative look at the effects of colonialism on the indigenous South American people of the Amazon. It does so it an admittedly very subtle manner, although we do see some of the effects that the rubber plantations and the spread of Catholicism had on the people of the area.

If I'm being totally honest I did not fully connect with this film and I'm not sure it's all to do with the ropey English translation in the version I watched. I think it was more that its ideas of the spirit world and nature just didn't interest me very much. It is nevertheless quite obviously an impressive production on some ways though. The authentic use of indigenous dialect was something to be commended, while the black and white cinematography was good. Ultimately, the content wasn't really my cup of tea but I can still see some value in it.

Another example of how historically everything white men touch turns to pain.