Herzog's vision of his disillusionment and despair rises to a hectic pitch of absurdist tragedy.

In some perverse way Herzog would probably prefer to see his despised and rejected characters remain despised and rejected, because it's their abject misery alone that seems to affirm their humanity in his eyes.

Among other things, Mr. Herzog visually dazzles us while he's pulling the rug from under our feet.

A great but really odd film, that's tender, tragic and funny.