Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: MAGELLAN [Cannes Film Festival 2025 - Cannes, France]
The life of a conqueror and a missionary in the same breathe is a thought of piousness within the practicality of brutality. "Magellan" [Cannes Premiere] works on the auspice of a certain type of filmmaking which takes into account immersion by stillness. Gael Garcia Bernal takes on a intrepid role of Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer that tries to bring God to indigenous people. The wrought element of colonialism is not romanticized or watered down. It is brutal but almost has an archeological perspective to it. Magellan thinks he is doing right going on these escapades for King Carlos. It is interesting how the film paints what is civilized. Magellan comes back from one voyage, seemingly falls in love and then leaves again on another multi-year voyage because he seemingly has no choice in his status. The ongoing element of the story is killed or be killed but there is a method to the madness because the killling is done with a rulebook.
The film so shows the brutality of the seas and those voyages. The movie is spare in its reversals but it does have an oddly beautiful drenched feeling. Bernal doesn't apologize for his character's actions but it is also not bathed in modern empathy or motivation. This is the 1500s with a very different rule of thumb. The Presidents of today have to live in a news cycle. While certain aspects plagued people then, the pillaging in the name of faith continued despite that guise of piousness. It is just a matter of who wanted to sacrifice more and who in actuality was out numbered despite their best intentions (or not). The person that is present throughout all of this is a native Magellan buys who helps him conquer but ultimately is a slave himself. It is more his story but his does not impact any others as well. It is not as if he is lost in the drift but, as with everyone, aristocracy or not, he is rolling through the seas.
Magellan for the most part is indestructible until he is not but that might just be the structure of story. When confronted with myth he tries to negotiate. The response though is interesting in the end because instead of understanding, cruelty wins over. Why? Because Magellan has to answer to a higher power but as a smart moment during confession happens, he knows his power works only if it serves the needs of those he serves and not a higher power. The film again is very pondering and slow so it requires a steady view also because of the lack of music but sometimes the painterly musings win over. B-
By Tim Wassberg
