Encounters at the End of the World
Seen it?2008 | 99 min | Documentary
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office flop. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Eye-opening.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 39 min.
- What might put you off
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog travels to Antarctica, where he finds a desolate, beautiful landscape, largely untouched by human hands, and a group of truly unique people who risk their lives to study it. Centered at McMurdo Station, the United States' largest Antarctic research center, Herzog explores the minds of the scientists willing to abandon civilization and endure volatile conditions to learn more about the continent's wildlife and awe-inspiring natural wonders.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 80 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.5 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$1 million worldwide
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 145K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Werner Herzog
- Werner HerzogNarrator (voice)
- Clive OppenheimerSelf - Volcanologist
- Scott RowlandSelf - Transportation Dept
- Stefan PashovSelf - Philosopher, Forklift Driver
- Doug MacAyealSelf - Glaciologist
- Ryan Andrew EvansSelf - Filmmaker, Cook
- Kevin EmerySelf - Survival School Instructor
- Olav T. OftedalSelf - Nutritional Ecologist
- Regina EisertSelf - Physiologist
- David R. Pacheco Jr.Self - Journeyman Plumber