Magellan
At the dawn of the modern era, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan leads an expedition under the Spanish crown in search of the first westward route to the Spice Islands. He undertakes a perilous voyage across the uncharted Pacific, where his fleet contends with starvation, mutiny, and the psychological toll of endless seas. Upon reaching the shores of Cebu, Magellan is drawn into a fatal conflict with the natives by his zeal to spread Catholicism, culminating in his tragic doom.
Director(s)
Lav Diaz
Cast & Crew
Details
Reviews
Call Me Dunham
The real definition of every frame being a painting, it’s truly that beautiful. Magellan is one of the best historical biopic films I’ve ever seen. Shot entirely with static frames, minimal scoring, calm and quiet vibes, and cinematography that’s beautifully serene and soothing to look at. Lav Diaz also boldly portrays the dark side of colonialism and the deceit of European explorers in the past even though, as far as I know (CMIIW), the film is supported by institutions from Portugal and Spain and he conveys all of that with extraordinary beauty. This film isn’t just about recounting the past, but serves as a reminder, showing us how European explorers once tortured, colonized, plundered, and pitted Southeast Asian nations against one another. With this film, we are given a silent witness to how cruelty and human greed can destroy norms and morality.
Louay Jabry
I have never assigned a rating of 1/10 to any film until this one. For all those that have been taken by the cinematography, you have been taken for a ride. The use of a 4:3 ratio, dark, smudgy static wide shot series of 2-4 minutes takes, minimal dialog and acting does not make a great film, especially when it is slow for no reason and lasts almost 3 hours. You couldn't even see the main protagonist's face for the first 70 minutes. The net result is a ludicrous film masquerading as art, a talentless, lazy imitation of Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God.
All Trailers
![Official US Trailer [Subtitled]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F8h7rriQD1qc%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
