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Ghost Elephants

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100% Tomatometer 39 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
For over a decade, Dr. Steve Boyes, conservation biologist and National Geographic Explorer, has been in search of a mysterious, elusive herd of Ghost Elephants in the highlands of Angola, deep within its forests. From acclaimed director Werner Herzog ("Grizzly Man"), GHOST ELEPHANTS follows Boyes on an epic journey as he sets out with some of the best master trackers in the world, in pursuit of an animal long believed to be a myth.
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Ghost Elephants

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Critics Consensus

A visually magnificent tribute to humanity's fascination with animals, Ghost Elephants is a haunting documentary that reaffirms how much any subject becomes all the more intriguing when beheld by Werner Herzog's gaze.

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Critics Reviews

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Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) 2d
3/5
Cue Herzog’s unmistakable narrator’s voice, as the search unfolds with – it must be said – less personal risk and more thoughtful processes than the usual Herzog protagonist. Go to Full Review
Richard Brody The New Yorker Mar 3
It will come as no surprise to the filmmaker’s admirers that Herzog relishes every step of the journey. Every digression here feels like a destination. Go to Full Review
Thelma Adams AARP Movies for Grownups Mar 3
5/5
It’s a wise movie that combines spirit and science, championing the need for (and inherent beauty of) biodiversity while highlighting the genetic ties that bind the majestic elephants, the African men and the Western explorers. Go to Full Review
John Serba Decider 6d
Nobody makes documentaries like Herzog. Nobody. Go to Full Review
Jennifer Green Common Sense Media Mar 10
4/5
Herzog infuses the film with his usual touch of magic, from the dreamy musings of main character Boyes to the transcendent African landscapes set to mystical intonations. Go to Full Review
Padaí Ó Maolchalann In Review Online Mar 10
With sincerity, and some degree of artistry, Herzog crafts a sense of wonder that’s wholly necessary.. Ghost Elephants is a true act of guardianship. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Shitara B @RT37836259 5d This is the ABSOLUTE WORST narrating I have ever heard in my entire life! The guy narrating sounds like he is suffering from very painful hemorrhoids!!!! I could only stand 5 minutes of listening to him, absolutely horrendous!!!!! I had to ff a lot! And then this documentary was about..... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! After 2 hours, at the very end all we see is crappy video of the most ordinary elephant ever and they collect no DNA whatsoever. They accomplish absolutely nothing with this doc. Only good thing about it was Angolan guy bringing attention to how destructive humans are, the horrid murder of Henry only because he was unique, and how the uniqueness of animals makes them targets for humans to kill, stuff, and put in a museum. DO NOT waste your time!!!!!! See more Quinny M @ToothlessReviews Mar 11 This was the worst animal documentary I have seen in a while. The whole premise is that they are looking for a mysterious species of elephant, and the only footage they get of the species they apparently spent 10 years looking for is crappy phone camera footage. They couldn't even get proper DNA samples in order to compare these elephants to a known species... The only conclusion it gives is a text screen at the end of the movie, which says the results are inconclusive. Of the 1 hr and 40 min run time, there must have been a total of 5 minutes with an elephant on screen. Don't waste your time on this slow-burning, boring rubbish. See more Ethan P @E_Pfrimmer Mar 10 Often a fan of nature/science documentaries, this seemed like a promising choice for a nice Monday evening watch. I quickly realized however that the guy looking for these 'ghost elephants' seemingly trying to pose as an ecologist of some sort had no idea what he was doing and was on shrooms half the time. 50% of this 'documentary' was spent skipping through to try and hear any sort of real information, but everyone involved seemed to be on a separate ethereal plane from the rest of humanity where elephants live in the sky or something. This guy looking for giant elephants finds just one normal looking one while his homie filmed the whole thing on his iPhone and never really got any sample from it. The whole thing ends with a small blurb about not having enough date to prove anything, which is a sly way to get around telling the audience that the 'research' done was bogus and done by a crazy man posing as a scientist. Critics act like this is an artwork but don't be fooled, its bad. See more Trevor H @Trevor940 Mar 9 Who doesn't love Warner Herzog. However this is as droll as it gets. The man searching for the elephants is obviously lost in some other dimension. Most of the film is introducing the guides and talking about supposed giant Elephants in Angola. Then they find a tiny elephant with 5 minutes left and don't even get a sample. 😂 Don't waste your time unless you need a nappy. See more Barnard Feb 27 This film documentary truly speaks and cries loudly to the existence and creativity of our living GOD. Further on a more base and human level, this film opens up and increases your understanding of the vast amount of living species yet to be discovered on this planet. See more Read all reviews
Ghost Elephants

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Movie Info

Synopsis For over a decade, Dr. Steve Boyes, conservation biologist and National Geographic Explorer, has been in search of a mysterious, elusive herd of Ghost Elephants in the highlands of Angola, deep within its forests. From acclaimed director Werner Herzog ("Grizzly Man"), GHOST ELEPHANTS follows Boyes on an epic journey as he sets out with some of the best master trackers in the world, in pursuit of an animal long believed to be a myth.
Director
Werner Herzog
Producer
Ariel Leon Isacovitch, Werner Herzog, Brian Nugent
Screenwriter
Werner Herzog, Werner Herzog
Distributor
National Geographic Documentary Films
Production Co
The Roots Production Service, Skellig Rock, Sobey Road Entertainment
Genre
Documentary, Nature
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 26, 2026, Limited
Runtime
1h 39m
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