Magellan
At the dawn of the modern era, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan commands an expedition sanctioned by the Spanish crown in search of the first westward passage to the Spice Islands. He sets sail on a perilous journey across the uncharted Pacific, where his fleet confronts famine, mutiny, and the psychological toll of endless seas. Upon reaching the shores of Cebu, Magellan becomes embroiled in a deadly clash with the natives sparked by his mission to propagate 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]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8h7rriQD1qc/maxresdefault.jpg)
Media engagement
Gives off similar vibes
Magellan FAQs
Lav Diaz is the director of Magellan.
The cast of Magellan includes Rafa Siguion-Reyna as Nuno, Gael García Bernal as Fernão de Magalhães, Almeno Gonçalves as Diogo Barbosa, Ronnie Lazaro as Rajah Humabon, Tomás Alves as Francisco Serrão, Valdemar Santos as Rui Faleiro, Bong Cabrera as Rajah Kulambo, Brontis Jodorowsky as Bishop Fonseca, Ivo Arroja as Cristóvão, Hazel Orencio as Reyna Juana, Amado Arjay Babon as Enrique de Malacca, Ângela Ramos as María Caldera Beatriz Barbosa, and more.
The duration of Magellan is 2h 44 mins.
Yes. You can watch the Magellan trailer on this Fanbiz page on Fanziz.
Magellan was released on 10 Sep 2025.
Magellan is listed under History, Adventure, and Drama on Fanbiz.
Magellan has 2 reviews on Fanziz, with an average rating of 4.5/10. One reviewer wrote: "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..."
