Karateka: reviews

What the critics say average 6.8 from 17 outlets

• 9.0 NoticineMiguel Castelo As it could not have been otherwise, the result is an accomplished blend of the epic and the lyrical, as narratively effective and convincing as it is moving. Read
• 8.0 CinemaníaSergio F. Pinilla Steeped in the roles of the Olympic champion and of her coach, sensei and eventual partner Jesús del Moral, Ros and Criado convey much of the electricity and emotion that must have run through the real events. Read
• 8.0 SensaCineAndrea Zamora This journey is worth taking. 'Karateka' is emotion and warmth in the form of a film. Read
• 8.0 AccionCineJesús Usero The staging of 'Karateka' is magnificent: its use of space, light, colour and framing shows a film that breaks away from the visual cliches of the most common biopics. Read
• 8.0 El Diario VascoBegoña del Teso Funny, fast, accurate about the sport, well calibrated, played with verve and grit. Read
• 8.0 HipertextualGonzalo Franco In short, 'Karateka' is a terrific film that will win over fans of sports films and martial arts, but will also reach every other audience thanks to its wealth of personality. Read
• 7.0 EspinofRandy Meeks If only we had more biopics like this: pure epic, actors at the top of their game and a team eager to go beyond what anyone would expect of them. Read
• 7.0 AceprensaClaudio Sánchez With 'Karateka' he has once again offered a film with personality, but a far more accomplished one. Read
• 7.0 Libertad DigitalAndrés Arconada Far from the usual tearjerkers, the film offers a truthful and moving account of effort and the passion for competing at the highest level. Read
• 6.0 FotogramasRoger Salvans A textbook heroine's journey in which a black-belt Andrea Ros shines. Read
• 6.0 El MundoLuis Martínez The result is a moving, funny and level-headed film, guided by the moving, funny and level-headed performances of Andrea Ros and Patrick Criado. Read
• 6.0 CinemagaviaPablo Veiga Carpintero 'Karateka' works as a decent sports biopic, with a protagonist whose story proves more powerful than some of the narrative choices used to tell it. Read
• 6.0 Diario de SevillaManuel J. Lombardo What matters here is the will to style and the breadth of vision it brings to the images and the editing from the very first moment, the search for visual, sound and musical solutions (a great score by Maite Arroitajauregi) that turn the story into a first-rate cinematic symphony. Read
• 6.0 Decine21Juan Luis Sánchez Technically perfect, with a beautiful score, remarkable cinematography and actors at the top of their game, the film manages to reach the audience with a story of overcoming adversity that goes beyond the characters to show us the people. Read
• 6.0 Cine con ÑJose A. Cano It stirs emotion despite the challenge of a sport little known in Spain and the need to sum up decades, and with a visual and narrative identity of its own. Read
• 6.0 El Séptimo ArteJuan Pairet Iglesias Sandra Sánchez won, and Andrea Ros is convincing. My respects. But this intermittent, cryptic and ultimately mechanical biopic lacks the drive and faith of both women to prevail. Read
• 4.0 ABCOti Rodríguez Marchante It is what you would call a conventional biopic, that is, one that sides with the story and its subject, who comes out of the film highly recognised and admired, and it connects very easily with the audience thanks to the naturalness and warmth with which it is conceived and with which Andrea Ros plays it. Read