Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer

Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer is a documentary portrait of the German filmmaker Werner Herzog, released in 2022. It looks at a career spanning more than half a century, examining his creative methods, his fascination with extreme situations and the ways his films have blurred the line between reality and imagination. The film draws on rare archival material, extracts from his work and conversations with people who know him and have worked with him, including Nicole Kidman, Christian Bale and Robert Pattinson. Herzog himself appears on camera, reflecting on his life and his approach to making films.

The documentary was directed and written by Thomas von Steinaecker, whose earlier feature-length directing credit is the 2018 film Leonard Bernstein: A Genius Divided. Producers were Bernhard von Hülsen and Maria Willer, and the production involved companies in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, including ZDF/Arte and Spring Films. Alongside Herzog, Kidman, Bale and Pattinson, those interviewed include Carl Weathers and Chloé Zhao.

At 90 minutes, the film is a compact overview rather than an exhaustive study. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.1 from 896 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.6 from 16 votes, indicating a generally favourable response from those who have seen it, with the two platforms reflecting very different numbers of users.