Hoping to fly a helium airship over the rainforests of Guyana, scientist Graham Dorrington is convinced to let Werner Herzog film his airborne journey in this curious documentary from the acclaimed director of 'Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes' and 'Where the Green Ants Dream'. The beauty of untouched natural landscapes are a focal point in Herzog's fiction films and the shots of the rainforest are a clear highlight here, with extreme close-ups on the native flora and fauna. Only a handful of minutes are spent on the beauty of the rainforest though, and the rest of the film is uneven as Herzog flicks back and forth between Graham's passion for air travel, the hopes and dreams of a local diamond miner and Graham's fears of tragedy in-flight. Much of the film, in fact, pivots around how Graham attempted the voyage earlier, also with a cinematographer, and how the cameraman died in an accident while aboard. Herzog never really captures the risks involved with his daring decision to accompany Graham (after all, he survived to make this film and others) but it is pointed how Herzog crafts the doco around Graham not only capturing unchartered territory but also atoning for past mistakes and feelings of guilt. One's mileage with the film is likely to vary though depending on how one engages with this back-story. The rainforest shots are great, but they are just a small part of the overall product here.
Review of The White Diamond
