AFI Fest Review: Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds

Fireball: Visitors From Other Worlds (2020) is a documentary film written by Werner Herzog, directed by Clive Oppenheimer and Werner Herzog. Fireball is a journey through both the scientific, and social history of meteors and meteorites on earth. Herzog travels the world, virtually from pole to pole, speaking with scientists, historians, theologians, musicians, and anyone else who has something to say on the subject. Through stunning photography, first person interviews, and voice-over narration, Herzog explores the many ways in which the arrival of these intergalactic travelers have impacted (pun very much intended) humans on this planet over the years.

From the impact craters they have left behind, to the mass extinction events they have caused; from the religions and societies that have begat, to the scientific disciplines that have risen in their wake, to the art and philosophies they have inspired, Herzog leaves few stones unturned in his pursuit of knowledge. Rather than featuring an overarching storyline, the film is more of a collection of various interviews, musings on observations on the topic at hand. Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds premieres on Apple TV on November 13^th.

Werner Herzog is, and always has been a fascinating filmmaker. Cutting his teeth on films he made totally outside of the Hollywood system, Herzog has carved out a niche for himself that is unique to him. While I’m no Herzog scholar, it is my understanding that his desire to be a filmmaker arrived organically. He stole a camera from a shop, and started shooting things that he found interesting. Many years, and 60+ films later, Herzog, a true maverick, has become one of the most respected filmmakers of all time.

It is this devotion to using film as a means to explore himself that we have so many varied and fascinating films available to us. Whether they be documentaries, or narrative films is almost irrelevant, although he excels at both. When Herzog’s mind is stimulated to the point that he points a camera at something, his fascination becomes our fascination. He possesses a unique sense of wonder, which pushes him to explore whatever subject or theme is on the table with an idiosyncratic gusto. It is almost as enjoyable to experience Herzog’s illumination as it is to become illuminated ourselves.

From the bat-shit-insane Even Dwarfs Started Small (1970) to the wrist-slashing Land of Silence and Darkness (1971) and Strozsek (1977) to the equally as fascinating behind-the-scenes as it is on-screen Fitzcarraldo (1982), to the divisive, yet totally engrossing Grizzly Man (2005), few filmmakers working today have quite as an eclectic, and awe-inspiring oeuvre as Werner Herzog.

I’m certain, at this point, that as I’ve just spent a few paragraphs praising Herzog, one is likely to assume that I feel as positively about Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds as I do about many of his other films. And you wouldn’t be totally wrong. However, while there is much to enjoy, marvel at, and learn from in this film, I didn’t find it to be quite as powerful as I had hoped. Don’t get me wrong. There isn’t a minute in this film that I didn’t like. However, as mentioned earlier, the film features no overarching storyline, only overarching themes. As a result, Fireball is more of a collection of observances, than it is a single story being told over the course of 97 minutes.

Consequently, I found Fireball to be slightly lacking. It lacks the forward momentum and audience-baiting of something like OJ: Made in America (Ezra Edelman, 2016) or his own Grizzly Man, yet features enough narration and spoken information that it never becomes as hypnotic and mesmerizing as something like Baraka (Ron Fricke, 1992) or Koyaanisqatsi (Godfrey Reggio, 1982), or even his own Fata Morgana (1971). It sort of falls somewhere in the middle of the two. Almost like a longer episode of the Planet Earth television series, rather than any of the above mentioned documentaries.

Don’t take this as too harsh of a criticism though. Fireball is still packed with fascinating insights and information from noteworthy sources. It also features tons of breathtaking photography, and awe-inspiring imagery and observations. For Herzog fans, I’m certain you are going to watch this thing no matter what anyone says about it. After all, that is one of the joys of being a Herzog stan. Even when he loses, he wins. Herzog’s films are as much about him, as they are his subject. So for fans of the intrepid auteur (and possibly one of the only true auteurs), every effort is a must-watch endeavor.

For more casual fans of documentary, your response may be slightly lukewarm in comparison. It’s not that you won’t like it, but you will likely find it to be a little light on some subjects that you would like to see explored in more depth. It also might feel slightly aimless when contrasted with the type of documentaries you are probably used to. If you are looking for more of a definitive, standard type of documentary on comets and their ilk, you may wish to look elsewhere.

For me however, Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds was thoroughly enjoyable. I’m the type of guy that responds to passion. If someone seems passionate about a subject, or an idea, I’m more likely to listen to what they have to say, no matter what that might be. When I found out that Werner Herzog wanted to tell me about celestial bodies entering our atmosphere throughout the ages, I immediately wanted to hear his take on the subject. Certainly, if a subject or theme is fascinating enough that Herzog wants to point a camera at it, then I’m on board to watch it. Lord knows, his credit goes a long way in my house. Following Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds, that credit has been extended even farther.