Most critics are won over, and the praise gathers in one place: the paintings themselves and Herzog’s decision to film them in 3D. Review after review says the format earns its keep here, letting the animals follow the curve of the rock so their depth and texture register as they could not flat. Herzog’s narration and the odd questions he puts to his scientists are counted among the pleasures, and Variety singles out Ernst Reijseger’s music for its mood of awe.
The reservations are about the man rather than the cave. Several find his metaphysical musings reach too far, and the more measured reviews call the film overlong and repetitive, the slow scans of the walls wearing thin. The Independent objects to a heartbeat laid over a moment of silence, and Slant finds the 3D often dark and unnatural. The spread runs from full marks to the mid-fifties, with no outright dismissals, and a recurring line even among admirers that this is not Herzog at his best.
T
Time Out
22 March 2011 · ★★★★★ · Ben Walters
100
The review text is unavailable, so its overall verdict cannot be established. The visible metadata offers no specific praise or criticism.
Read the full review →E
Empire
11 February 2011 · Adam Smith
90*
Smith finds the documentary astonishing, mesmerizing and profoundly absorbing. He especially praises Herzog’s use of 3D to bring the cave paintings to life, while noting that his philosophical musings may turn off some viewers.
Read the full review →I
IndieWire
24 April 2026 · A- · Eric Kohn
90
Kohn finds the film an extraordinary production feat, though he notes that one section briefly dulls its sense of wonder. He praises the immersive 3D presentation of the cave paintings and their mysterious beauty.
Read the full review →L
Los Angeles Times
29 April 2011 · Kenneth Turan
90*
Turan gives the film an enthusiastic, deeply appreciative verdict, calling the chance to experience the cave a privilege and pleasure. He especially praises the ancient paintings’ beauty and the film’s effective use of 3-D to show how they follow the cave’s contours.
Read the full review →G
The Guardian
24 March 2011 · Peter Bradshaw
90*
Bradshaw calls the documentary a remarkable success, full of wonder and mystery. He especially praises how 3D brings the Chauvet cave’s ancient paintings to life.
Read the full review →H
The Hollywood Reporter
14 October 2010 · festival review · Kirk Honeycutt
90*
Honeycutt finds the documentary fascinating and praises Herzog’s imaginative exploration of ancient art, spirituality and human nature. He particularly singles out the cave’s extraordinary art and the effective use of 3D to reveal its spaces and movement.
Read the full review →R
RogerEbert.com
27 April 2011 · ★★★½/4 · Roger Ebert
88
Ebert gives the documentary a positive verdict, finding it a moving encounter with humanity’s distant past. He singles out the cave paintings and Herzog’s presentation of them as the film’s central wonder.
Read the full review →S
Slant Magazine
24 April 2011 · ★★★½/4 · Nick Schager
88
Schager finds the documentary a spiritually enriching meditation on art, time, and humanity’s relationship with nature. He praises Herzog’s evocative cave cinematography and narration, while noting that the 3D is often dark and unnatural.
Read the full review →V
Variety
14 September 2010 · festival review · Justin Chang
75*
Chang finds the documentary a meditative, engaging art-history lesson, despite occasional digressions and awkward 3D. He especially praises the cave paintings’ vivid depth and Ernst Reijseger’s music for creating a mood of awe.
Read the full review →A
The AV Club
29 April 2011 · B- · Scott Tobias
70
Tobias finds the documentary worthwhile but ultimately stifling and less freewheeling than Herzog’s best work. He praises the rare access to the cave art and Herzog’s peculiar, sometimes profound questions, while criticizing the repetitive wall scans and dirge-like score.
Read the full review →I
The Independent
27 March 2011
70*
The critic finds the film engrossing and often evocative, though less visionary than Herzog’s best work. They praise its intimate 3D rendering of the cave paintings, while faulting an intrusive heartbeat and score that spoil a moment of silence.
Read the full review →N
The New Yorker
24 April 2011 · Anthony Lane
70*
Lane finds the documentary exhilarating and often compelling, though Herzog sometimes reaches too eagerly for metaphysical interpretations. He especially praises the 3-D images of the cave’s layered, rippling animal paintings.
Read the full review →N
The New York Times
28 April 2011 · A.O. Scott
65*
The page text is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the available content.
Read the full review →S
Screen Daily
15 September 2010 · Allan Hunter
64*
The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s verdict is inaccessible. The article text is hidden, so no specific praise or complaint can be confirmed.
Read the full review →E
Evening Standard
10 April 2012 · The Standard
55*
The critic finds the documentary fascinating but overlong, with stretches that may lull viewers to sleep. They praise the vivid 3D images of the cave paintings and the engaging scientists Herzog interviews.
Read the full review →S
The Skinny
9 March 2011 · ★★★★★ · Philip Concannon
100
The review praises Herzog’s distinctive approach and says the film’s 3D brings the ancient cave paintings vividly to life. It also singles out his evocative narration and eccentric group of guides as part of the film’s appeal.
Read the full review →E
Eye for Film
19 February 2011 · festival review · Jennie Kermode
85*
Kermode highly recommends the film, though she notes it may not rank among Herzog’s greatest works. She praises how the 3D brings the Chauvet paintings’ depth and texture to life.
Read the full review →D
Den of Geek
18 March 2011 · ★★★★ · Ryan Lambie
80
Lambie praises the documentary as fascinating and thought-provoking, arguing that it makes excellent use of 3D. He singles out the vivid sense of the cave’s depth and texture, which brings its ancient art to life.
Read the full review →P
The Playlist
26 April 2011
65*
The headline suggests a measured verdict, describing the film as neither forgettable nor especially dreamy. The blocked page provides no further detail about what the critic praised or faulted.
Read the full review →C
Collider
29 April 2011 · C+ · Bill Graham
63
The critic finds the documentary worthwhile but overlong, repetitive, and unevenly paced. He praises the immersive 3D tour of the cave paintings as an exceptional use of the format.
Read the full review →H
HeyUGuys
20 October 2011 · ★★★ · Dave Roper
60
The critic finds the documentary fascinating and important, though repetitive in places and weakened by an unclear, self-indulgent coda. They praise the vividly filmed cave paintings and Herzog’s sense of wonder.
Read the full review →Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate