Embrace of the Serpent Review
By David Kempler
Squeezing Its Prey
Theodor Koch-Grünberg was a German ethnologist and explorer known for studying the Pemon Indians of Venezuela and indigenous tribes of Brazil, particularly in the Amazon region. His first expedition was in 1903 and his second was in 1911.
Richard Evans Schultes was an American biologist who is considered the father of modern ethnobotany, for his studies of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. His primary study involved hallucinogenic plants. Schultes made his expedition during World War II.
Ciro Guerra's "Embrace of the Serpent", loosely based on the two men's diaries, tells the story of both men and runs a thread between them through a young and old Karamakate (Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolivar), an Amazonian shaman and the last survivor of his tribe.
Besides Karamakate, the other constant is the relatively understated examination of how colonialism destroyed parts of the world and how the damage may be irreparable. There are a couple of scenes that really drive this point home. One, that shows what has changed at a religious retreat between the times when the two men explored the area, is bizarre and terrifying.
Koch-Grünberg (Jan Bijvoet) and his guide Manduca (Yauenkü Migue) seek out Karamakate because they think he may know where they can find a flower that can heal the slowly dying explorer. Karamakate helps, but he distrusts both of them. He knows that when people come from other lands, it is usually not for a good reason. He has already seen the results of colonization on his people.
About forty years later, Schultes (Brionne Davis) also employs Karamakate to help him in his search, without knowing that he has hired the same guide as Koch-Grünberg, years earlier. Karamakate's views of explorers has not softened since his expedition with Koch-Grünberg, but he does lead Schultes on his quest. It is on this trip that we learn things that were not revealed earlier. Hidden motives become apparent.
Everything works extremely well in "Embrace of the Serpent", aside from a slightly confusing finale. It plays as both an adventure story and an intense examination of colonialism. There is real tension between Karamakate and everyone else. Shot in spectacular black-and-white, it is lush and haunting. It is definitely worth your embrace.
