Chariots of Fire (1981)

The critic praises the film's old-fashioned innocence and celebration of the human spirit through careful detail and character study. Hudson's direction and Welland's script are highlighted as thoughtfully drawing out the athletes' experiences and strong performances.

Hugh Hudson's 1981 Oscar-winner is a bold, intelligent, romantic film with the lineaments of a classic and a score by Vangelis as instantly hummable as the music for Jaws. It follows two underdog outsiders, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, clashing with the English establishment.

The review finds the 1981 film less vital on re-release, noting that while some scenes and the faith-based backstories work, the parallel narratives cancel each other out. The beach running sequences remain the most uplifting element.

The critic finds the film richer and more complex than its heritage-cinema reputation suggests, praising its balance of optimism, intelligence and emotion along with strong performances and elegant direction.

The film is majestic, masterful, exultant, triumphant and joyful, with sports as its backbone and passion as its fueling emotion. The critic singles out David Watkin's haunting photography and the running sequences under Terry Rawlings' editing for making them burst from the screen with intoxicating excitement.

The critic was deeply moved by the film despite no personal interest in running or the British class system, as it uses those subjects for larger statements about human nature, dignity, and belief. He singles out the photography's attention to faces under stress and Vangelis's evocative score for particular praise.

The film is an unashamedly rousing, invigorating but clear-eyed evocation of old-fashioned values that knows the difference between sentiment and sentimentality. The critic singles out the track sequences as charged with poetry and the film's simultaneous romantic and commonsensical qualities.

The film is a winner for director Hugh Hudson in his feature debut, with strong script values and top-notch performances that make it look easy. The critic singles out the Colin Welland screenplay for succeeding at emotional honesty without schmaltz and Hudson's assured direction and narrative style.

The film has not aged well and now feels overly sentimental and slow. Vangelis's score stands out as powerful and beautiful.

The critic finds the film overrated and leaden outside of the iconic running sequences set to Vangelis's score, criticizing the lack of emotional depth, wooden performances, and superficial storytelling.