Drama, Adventure  •  2015  •  125 min

Embrace of the Serpent (2015)

Embrace of the Serpent poster

Embrace of the Serpent (2015)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
Christianity: Negative

Viewer Rating
8.3

Overview

The epic story of the first contact, encounter, approach, betrayal and, eventually, life-transcending friendship, between Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman, last survivor of his people, and two scientists that, over the course of 40 years, travel through the Amazon in search of a sacred plant that can heal them. Inspired by the journals of the first explorers of the Colombian Amazon, Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evans Schultes.


Starring Cast

Nilbio Torres  •   Jan Bijvoet  •   Antonio Bolívar


Where to watch

Philo logoPhilo
YouTube logoYouTube
Apple TV logoApple TV
Powered byJustWatch

Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Progressive

Primary

Political: Strong Left
Confidence: High

The film's central thesis explicitly promotes anti-colonialism, environmentalism, and the preservation of indigenous cultures, unequivocally critiquing Western exploitation and the destruction of traditional ways of life.

Diversity: High
Confidence: High

The movie features prominent indigenous representation through its casting and narrative, which centers on the experiences and perspectives of Amazonian communities. It critically examines the historical impact of Western colonialism and exploitation on these cultures, framing traditional Western identities in a critical light.

Secondary

Christianity: Negative
Confidence: High

The film portrays Christian missionaries as agents of cultural destruction, suppressing indigenous languages and traditions. Later, a fanatical 'Messiah' twists Christian teachings into a violent, oppressive cult, highlighting the destructive potential of religious extremism and colonial imposition.

LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High

Embrace of the Serpent does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative is entirely focused on the historical and cultural journey through the Amazon, with no elements pertaining to queer identity or experiences.

Trans: N/A
Confidence: High

Based on available information and common knowledge of the film 'Embrace of the Serpent', there are no identifiable transsexual characters or themes depicted. The narrative primarily focuses on the exploration of the Amazon, indigenous cultures, and the impact of colonialism, without engaging with transgender identities.

Female Combat: No
Confidence: High

The film primarily focuses on male characters and their journeys through the Amazon. Female characters are present within indigenous communities but are not depicted engaging in or winning direct physical combat against male opponents.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

Embrace of the Serpent is an original narrative film inspired by historical accounts, not an adaptation of a pre-existing work with established characters or a reboot. There are no instances of characters canonically or historically established as one gender being portrayed as another.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

Embrace of the Serpent is an original screenplay inspired by historical accounts, not an adaptation of pre-existing material with established character races. The film's indigenous characters are portrayed by indigenous actors, and its historical European figures are portrayed by white actors, consistent with their documented race.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

8.3

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
7.8
The Movie Database logo
7.7

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
9.7
Metacritic logo
8.2

More Like This

A Poet poster
Leans Progressive
8.8
A Poet
 (2025)
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Okja poster
Leans Progressive
7.7
Okja
 (2017)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: Moderate
Magellan poster
Progressive
7.7
Magellan
 (2025)
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Neutral