The Birth of a Nation: reviews

What the critics say average 7.6 from 7 outlets

• 10 New York PostKyle Smith Both broader and deeper than the relentless and monotonous '12 Years a Slave', it?s one of the few important movies to hit cinemas this year. Read
• 8.0 VarietyJustin Chang "A biographical drama steeped equally in grace and horror, it builds to a brutal finale that will stir deep emotion and inevitable unease" (...). Read
• 8.0 EmpirePhil de Semlyen An unapologetic, impassioned biopic, 'The Birth Of A Nation' begins quietly but ends in a howl of rage. It might not be perfect, but it?s powerful enough to stay with you. Read
• 7.5 IndiewireEric Kohn "As cinema, it's alternately engaging and overly blunt. But there's no denying its efficacy as a major celebratory gesture". Read
• 7.0 The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthy "The film offers up more than enough in terms of intelligence, insight, historical research and religious nuance as to not at all be considered a missed opportunity". Read
• 7.0 Screen DailyTim Grierson "This may not be the most nuanced of films, but its blunt-force impact leaves one shaken". Read
• 6.0 The GuardianLanre Bakare "Mostly, the film is heavy-handed, with subtlety nowhere to be found". Read
• The Washington PostAnn Hornaday 'The Birth of a Nation' is a flawed but fairly compelling chapter of the American story that powerfully resonates with how that story is playing out today. Read