Chris Barsanti

There are few things more off-putting than being repeatedly told how astounding something is, whether it’s a work of art or natural phenomena. The thing, whatever it is, should be allowed to speak for itself whenever possible. To drown the object in question with rhetoric that serves only to pump it up, not to actually elucidate its importance, is nearly always to lessen its power. Werner Herzog’s latest nonfiction toss-off, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, violates this cardinal rule whenever it’s not indulging in 110-proof Herzogiana (not as entertaining or enlightening as in some of his previous works) and some rather beside-the-point 3D trickery…

Cave of Forgotten Dreams opened today in limited release. You can read the full review at filmcritic.com.