Lessons of Darkness

Released Feb 21, 1992

50m

Documentary

Sci-Fi

War

List

100%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

92%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Retreating from Kuwait after the first Gulf War, the Iraqi army sets fire to the country's oil fields. In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog films the raging flames while narrating from the perspective of a confused alien visitor, musing on the strangeness of the landscape. As the fires burn, helicopter shots display the extent of the damage. On the ground, firefighters do their best to control things, while Kuwaiti women recount atrocities perpetrated by the Iraqis.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

One of Herzog's earliest - and most evocative - cinematic essays on the uneasy relationships between man and Earth, unaffected reality and orchestrated drama.

Rated: B+

Feb 16, 2006

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

It restores your faith in humanity to think that the genius behind such cosmic objets d’art...

Nov 10, 2023

Full Review

Wael Khairy

The Cinephile Fix

The visuals here pack the grandiosity of anything we’ve seen in Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. The only difference is, this is real, and it’s not outer space, it’s the tip of the Persian Gulf.

Dec 30, 2022

Full Review

Andrew Todd

Birth.Movies.Death.

Living up to its opening quote about the end of the universe, Lessons of Darkness is a glimpse at a world-death caused by humanity - one we haven't entirely avoided yet.

Sep 1, 2019

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

A staggering, faux-extraterrestrial fugue

Feb 6, 2010

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Oct 1, 2007

Full Review

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Logan M

A superb and disturbing masterpiece of the documentary genre.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/19/23

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Jaan K

Amazing masterpiece, must watch

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

Full Review

andres s

Wow, gorgeous opening shot with the orange red sky and the towers. I think it's remarkable how Werner is able to film in these almost chaotic situations and dark subject matter and yet still convey a sense of peace, beauty and grace. His sweeping shots are so good. The aftermath of the attack on Kuwait made some of the landscapes look very surreal, almost other worldly. Like from another planet. Barren wastelands. It's really sad to see. Very haunting especially with the classical music. The imagery creating a sense of apocalyptic dread signifying there's no coming back from this. Super captivating and entrancing watching the oil riggers replace the piping system for the oil well. Beautifully filmed and scored, but also haunting at the same time. Powerful movie that highlights the aftermath and destruction of what a war can cause not only to the countries land but also to its people. I kept thinking about that poor little boy. He was so scarred by his experiences with the soldiers that he told his mom he didn't want to learn how to talk. So sad. Just as there is beauty in peace and tranquility, this movie proves that there is also beauty in destruction and chaos; as sad and dreadful as it is. It depends on your outlook on things.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

david f

A spare, depressing, mostly visual documentary about the invasion of Kuwait and the destruction of oil fields.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Herzog brings a camera to Kuwait. There's been a oil mess and also a short war. Apart from a few interviews there is little monologue here and no dialogue. There are some very pretty images here over some epic, orchestrial music. That's about it. It shows hell, but it looks so very pretty at the same time. The director himself classifies it as science fiction and not a documentary. I can't agree, but I see his point - the images is majestic. Not entertaining, and it's a good thing that it's short. Still, it's a nice backround film that has it's power in pure imagery. Few others could have made the same kind of film look this good. 5.5 out of 10 spaced out vehicles.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Stunning visual documentation of the aftermath of the Iraq War, including the burning oil fields. Not much dialogue, but the interviews are poignant, and immediately tell the harm of the Gulf War. As they say, it's 1/2 documentary, 1/2 science fiction, set to a dramatic score full of strings and opera music. While it was stunning, you get the point right away and the point could have been made in 30 minutes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

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Werner Herzog

Director

Werner Herzog

Writer

Werner Herzog

Producer

Paul Berriff

Producer

Lucki Stipetic

Producer

Paul Berriff

Cinematographer

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Synopsis

Retreating from Kuwait after the first Gulf War, the Iraqi army sets fire to the country's oil fields. In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog films the raging flames while narrating from the perspective of a confused alien visitor, musing on the strangeness of the landscape. As the fires burn, helicopter shots display the extent of the damage. On the ground, firefighters do their best to control things, while Kuwaiti women recount atrocities perpetrated by the Iraqis.

Director: Werner Herzog
Screenwriter: Werner Herzog
Genre: Documentary, Sci-Fi, War
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2017
Runtime: 50m

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