An incredibly misunderstood film; To put it another way: The kind of overheated historical epic whose mere quality of being big, big, big used to thrill the heck out of us. And at the very least, it doesn't reduce its subject - the way some of those films did - to the scraps and shreds of reality we can make out through the artistic license. (It doesn't bore us with the then-this-happened-and-so-forth rhetoric either: It's bloody, and its not afraid to indulge Colombus the scoundrel or, the more historically accurate Columbus the nincompoop).

Though the sets weren't as vivid as I remember them, the film's main skill is in how much like a textbook it makes the dirty, dirty time period look. Though we can see its intentions falling through the cracks, negated by other, less interesting aspects of it, the film caters directly to the most vicious version of that schoolbook Columbus legend. Instead of being high-minded and artsy (or just plain ridiculous and self-parodying like the other version, Christopher Columbus: The Discovery), what 1492 accomplishes is far more impressive. Its a more accessible big, dumb epic with imagery we'd be content replacing our own grade school Columbus visions with.

Una película infravalorada de Ridley Scott que demuestra ser una belleza por muchas razones; la música de Vangelis, la actuación de Pardieu como Colón, Weaver como la raina Isabel además de su fotografía

An incredibly misunderstood film; To put it another way: The kind of overheated historical epic whose mere quality of being big, big, big used to thrill the heck out of us. And at the very least, it doesn't reduce its subject - the way some of those films did - to the scraps and shreds of reality we can make out through the artistic license. (It doesn't bore us with the then-this-happened-and-so-forth rhetoric either: It's bloody, and its not afraid to indulge Colombus the scoundrel or, the more historically accurate Columbus the nincompoop).

Solid movie but after "the discovery" that was kind of magical it all got a bit long winded and slightly boring.

History, Action

Umpteenth viewing of unsung, completely underrated textbook-to-life classic. This time around: Spain's religious control is borderline cultish; two scenes with Armand Assante near the end show clearly a man being swayed by the magneticism of Columbus's achievement.

Looks beautiful but not one of Ridley Scott's best.

One of Ridley's lesser known films proves to be a pleasant surprise. Suffers from heavy handed symbolism, and trying to convey too much story. as well as using too much time telling it. But definitely worth your while. The music is a particular highlight.