CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS (Werner Herzog, 2010)

***½
Canada/USA/France

Like every recent Herzog venture, a scuffle between ponderous and transcendent trains of thought. Thankfully the latter dominate.

He tackles the Chauvet cave paintings as a tantalising but forever obstructed pathway into not just another time but another universe. For as long as he doesn't get bogged down in inane pseudo-metaphysics,* it's a transporting, almost profound experience.


* e.g. "Is this our heartbeat we hear? Or theirs?" Uh, neither, Herr Herzog, it's a stock sound effect you tacked on in post.