--- title: "Becoming Led Zeppelin: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/becoming-led-zeppelin/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/becoming-led-zeppelin" critics_score: 69 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Becoming Led Zeppelin (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 69 from 13 reviews: 10 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics come away pleased. The reviews agree that Bernard MacMahon’s authorised documentary puts the music first, and that this is its strength: the early concert footage, often left to run in full, is singled out repeatedly, as is the sound at IMAX scale. The new interviews with Page, Plant and Jones are found warm and vivid, and a recovered audio interview with John Bonham is widely described as the film’s anchor. The reservations cluster in one place. Nearly every review, including the warm ones, notes that the film stops around 1969 and leaves out the tension, excess and later history, and several find it too tidy as a result. The spread is wide. The Los Angeles Times calls it timid and misses other voices, and The Playlist, reviewing an earlier festival cut, finds it leaden and aimed only at superfans. The Times sits in the middle, impressed by the sound and frustrated by the omissions. ## RogerEbert.com — Glenn Kenny Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2025. Praises this authorized documentary for focusing on the music, influences, and formation of the band rather than gossip. Highlights the vivid personalities of Page, Plant, and Jones in interviews, strong archival footage including Bonham material, and the sheer power of the music presented. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/becoming-led-zeppelin) ## Variety — Jem Aswad Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2025. Describes the film as an exhilarating, hard-rocking portrait of the band’s first 18 months that channels their explosive energy with stunning footage and interviews. Notes it is rose-colored due to being authorized, omitting darker aspects like violence or discord, but still a must-see for fans. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/music/news/becoming-led-zeppelin-is-an-exhilarating-documentary-review-1236300455/) ## Evening Standard — Dylan Jones Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 February 2025. The critic praises the revelatory documentary for its archive material and insights into the band's early days and success in America, highlighting Jimmy Page's role and the focus on music over myths. They note it deserves a sequel but mention it might be slightly too long with too much concert footage. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/becoming-led-zeppelin-review-b1209331.html) ## Radio Times — James Mottram Rating 4/5. The film provides a pleasing, detailed account of Led Zeppelin's early years through insightful interviews with surviving members and strong archive material. Director Bernard MacMahon tracks their rise effectively but offers little drama or obstacles, with a narrow focus that will still please hardcore fans via its concert footage. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-2uoh11/becoming-led-zeppelin/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2025. The critic describes the authorized documentary as a thoroughly researched but sanitized look at the band’s early years that deliberately avoids scandals, excess, and later history. They single out the excellent IMAX sound and live performance footage for praise while noting it leaves out key production and cultural context details. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/becoming-led-zeppelin-isnt-trying-to-tell-the-whole-story.html) ## Financial Times Rating ★★★★☆. 12 February 2025. The critic notes the rockumentary sidesteps scandal and the band's later excesses to focus on the musicianship and rise to success in an official biography. It honours the band's early masterly performances and sound while acknowledging the deliberate omissions. [Read the review](https://ft.com/content/052bb4f4-47a7-41d3-99d1-cf75dbcf0d34) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2025. The critic finds the authorised documentary an enjoyable if truncated look at Led Zeppelin's early years up to 1969, with strong archive footage and warm interviews that make the music hard to resist. They note it avoids the band's later controversies and more colourful history, leaving the film likable but ultimately unsatisfying. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/06/becoming-led-zeppelin-review-enjoyable-retrospective-will-be-met-with-a-whole-lotta-love) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Rating NYT Critic’s Pick. 13 February 2025. Finds the smooth assemblage of new and archival material an appealing origin story that sketches the band members’ backgrounds and how they joined forces. Notes the focus on youthful self-invention before fame and the anchoring role of a newly uncovered Bonham audio interview alongside contemporary chats. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/movies/becoming-led-zeppelin-review.html) ## The Times Rating ★★★☆☆. 7 February 2025. The review praises the film's sonically impressive and visually arresting presentation of the band's origins and live power. It criticises the authorised account for omitting tales of tension, excess and behind-the-scenes revelations. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/becoming-led-zeppelin-film-review-jq52vk3x5) ## Los Angeles Times — Joshua Rothkopf Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2025. Calls the authorized profile timid and far from revelatory despite new interviews with the surviving members, criticizing the lack of other voices or deeper historical context. Praises the music’s power and some charming moments but notes it ends just as things get interesting and misses the band’s danger and excess. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-02-14/becoming-led-zeppelin-review-documentary-jimmy-page-robert-plant-john-paul-jones) ## Consequence Rating B+. 7 February 2025. The documentary offers a focused, engaging look at Led Zeppelin's formation and early years through new interviews with the surviving members and archival audio from John Bonham. Director Bernard MacMahon effectively weaves personal stories and influences while the IMAX-scale concert footage stands out as particularly powerful and mesmerizing. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2025/02/becoming-led-zeppelin-review/) ## NME — James Mottram Rating 4/5. 8 February 2025. The critic describes the film as a ruthlessly efficient, largely enjoyable reflection on the band's early years and the first official documentary about them. They praise the inclusion of early concert footage allowed to unfold in full without fast cuts, while noting a minor complaint about some contextual archival clips. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/becoming-led-zeppelin-review-jimmy-page-robert-plant-3835611) ## The Playlist — Marshall Shaffer Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2021. Festival review. The critic finds the documentary leaden and overlong, catering exclusively to superfans with excessive interviews and performances that fail to engage new viewers. It singles out the self-aggrandizing focus on the band's early influences and sonic details for complaint. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/becoming-led-zeppelin-leadern-venice-review-20210904/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/becoming-led-zeppelin.md