--- title: "Da 5 Bloods: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/da-5-bloods/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/da-5-bloods" critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 30 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." --- # Da 5 Bloods (2020): what the critics said Critics' score 76 from 30 reviews: 24 positive, 5 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics come away impressed, and the praise clusters in one place. Delroy Lindo’s performance as Paul is singled out by review after review, his late monologue named repeatedly as the moment the film earns its ambition. Beyond him, the reviews warm to the camaraderie of the veterans, to the archival footage Lee uses to tie American imperialism to racism at home, and to the flashbacks played by the older actors without de-aging. The words that recur are urgent, fierce and forceful. The reservations recur almost as reliably. Many find the film overstuffed and uneven in tone, its treasure hunt sagging and its second half drifting towards action clichés; a few note that the women and the Vietnamese characters are thinly drawn. The spread is wide, from full marks to one outright dismissal. The AV Club finds the politics muddled rather than merely messy, and Eye for Film, the lowest notice and the latest, thinks the surplus of subplots leaves it short of its potential. ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 5/5. 12 June 2020. O’Sullivan gives the film a strong endorsement, saying it makes her yearn to be in a packed cinema. She particularly praises Delroy Lindo’s raw, compelling performance as Paul and Jonathan Majors’s crucial contribution to the ending. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lees-flashback-to-vietnam-will-make-you-want-to-take-to-the-streets-a4467321.html) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 2020. Brody sees the film as a powerful, politically resonant reworking of Black veterans’ Vietnam experiences and their lasting impact. He especially praises Delroy Lindo’s performance, describing its emotional force and Shakespearean grandeur. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/spike-lees-da-5-bloods-reviewed-vietnam-and-the-never-ending-war-of-being-black-in-america) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. Ebiri calls the film one of Spike Lee’s greatest works, praising its forceful blend of race, American history, and black patriotism. He singles out its humanizing treatment of complex characters and its sharp use of film-history references to challenge how war is depicted. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-spike-lees-da-5-bloods-on-netflix.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Brian Tallerico Rating 3.5/4. 11 June 2020. Tallerico finds the film sprawling but powerful, with Spike Lee bringing urgency to its treatment of race and war. He particularly singles out Delroy Lindo’s performance for its force. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/da-5-bloods-movie-review-2020) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. Bradshaw finds the film a wildly inventive, emotionally powerful work, despite its deliberately unsettled mix of tones. He especially praises its final outpouring of sadness, grief and determination. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jun/10/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lee-delroy-lindo-vietnam-war) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 83/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. Rooney finds the film sprawling and structurally flawed but timely, frequently brilliant, and ultimately affecting. He particularly praises Delroy Lindo’s mesmerizing performance and the ensemble’s vivid camaraderie. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/da-5-bloods-review-1297435/) ## Little White Lies — Leila Latif Rating 4/4/4. 10 June 2020. Latif calls the film one of Spike Lee’s finest works and a vital reminder of his filmmaking. She praises the performances of Delroy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman, while noting that the female characters are thinly drawn and the epilogue slightly weakens the ending. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/da-5-bloods) ## Radio Times — Jeremy Aspinall Rating 4/5. Aspinall finds Spike Lee’s film a fascinating adventure that shows the director going from strength to strength. He praises its exploration of the African-American experience of the Vietnam War. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-lsn7zv/da-5-bloods/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. Scott views the film as ambitious, unruly and forceful in its engagement with the legacy of the Vietnam War. He particularly singles out Delroy Lindo’s performance as a standout. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/10/movies/da-5-bloods-review.html) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 10 June 2020. The review finds Lee's Vietnam drama fiery and full of old scars and new possibilities. It praises the film for highlighting the role of African-American soldiers in Vietnam. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/da-5-bloods) ## Total Film — Jamie Graham Rating 4/5. 10 June 2020. Graham finds the film frequently fierce and fascinating, though not quite as strong as Lee’s best work. He praises its urgent engagement with present-day racism and its use of the actors without de-aging in Vietnam flashbacks. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/da-5-bloods-review/) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating B. 10 June 2020. Kohn finds the film messy and overstuffed but ultimately entertaining, praising Spike Lee’s uncompromising style and the veterans’ chemistry. He particularly singles out Delroy Lindo’s fascinating, tragic portrayal of Paul. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/da-5-bloods-review-1202236512/) ## Empire — Kambole Campbell Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. The critic finds the film fascinating, gripping, and powerful, despite its sometimes messy, overloaded approach. They praise its forceful connection of American imperialism and anti-Black racism, especially through its use of archival footage. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/da-5-bloods/) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. Chang finds the film politically urgent and cinematically ambitious, though its abrupt tonal shifts can feel chaotic. He singles out Delroy Lindo’s seething, vulnerable performance as a standout. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-06-10/da-5-bloods-netflix-review-spike-lee) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 July 2020. The critic finds the film ambitious and largely successful, despite some cursory plotting and underused Vietnamese characters. Delroy Lindo’s performance is singled out as magnificent, while the film’s links between past and present give its central themes force. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/da-5-bloods-spike-lee-brings-vietnam-war-home) ## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. The available page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its standfirst describes Lee’s film as an epic Vietnam War film and says it fires off a series of grenades. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/da-5-bloods-review/5150491.article) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. Debruge finds the film ambitious and politically resonant but overlong, erratic, and uneven. He praises its historical critique and Delroy Lindo’s performance, while faulting its second-half action clichés and stereotypes. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lee-chadwick-boseman-1234629971/) ## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen Rating 2.5/4. 12 June 2020. Bowen finds the film a politically charged but overstuffed and uneven blend of genres. He praises the feverish jungle cinematography and a superbly timed land-mine set piece. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-da-5-bloods-is-a-vibrant-messy-blend-of-genre-film-and-political-essay/) ## The i Paper — Saskia Baron Rating ★★★. 11 June 2020. Baron finds the film overstuffed and uneven, despite Lee’s evident ambition. She praises Delroy Lindo’s intense performance as Paul, while faulting the film’s competing action, drama, and political commentary. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lee-vietnam-film-443901) ## The AV Club — Ashley Ray-Harris Rating C-. 10 June 2020. The critic finds the film politically muddled and unable to confront the complexities of Blackness, war, and imperialism. They praise Clarke Peters and Isiah Whitlock Jr. as the film’s most entertaining performers. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/spike-lee-goes-to-vietnam-with-his-politically-muddled-1843948759) ## Polygon — Karen Han Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 2020. Han praises the film as an urgent, potent work that turns an adventure plot into a forceful examination of Black history and American violence. She singles out Delroy Lindo’s blistering performance and monologue as especially compelling. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2020/6/12/21288272/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lee-netflix/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 8.5/10. 10 June 2020. The critic calls the film a must-see, praising Spike Lee’s forceful blend of history, entertainment, and political urgency. Delroy Lindo’s fierce, haunting performance is singled out as the film’s standout, though the score can be distracting. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/574644/da-5-bloods-review/) ## Consequence — Blake Goble Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. The critic finds Da 5 Bloods a powerful anti-war film whose slow build leads to a forceful finale. They praise its vivid, nuanced portrayal of Black veterans and the enduring damage of war. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2020/06/film-review-da-5-bloods/) ## NME — Alex Flood Rating 4/5. 10 June 2020. The critic calls the film a powerful, ambitious masterpiece and one of Spike Lee’s best. They praise its distinctive style and its forceful treatment of history’s recurring cycles of violence and racism. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lee-2685207) ## Paste — Andy Crump Rating 8.4. 12 June 2020. Crump finds the film powerful and affecting despite its overloaded, sprawling ambitions. He especially praises Delroy Lindo’s portrayal of Paul, highlighting his wrenching monologue as a standout. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/spike-lee/da-5-bloods-netflix-movie-review) ## Digital Spy — Jill Robi Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 2020. Robi finds the film engaging and timely, offering a fresh perspective on war. She particularly praises Spike Lee’s use of music to deepen a poignant scene and reveal the soldiers’ humanity. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a32847169/da-5-bloods-review-netflix-spike-lee/) ## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2020. The review calls the film urgent and involving, though its central adventure story sags. It singles out Lee’s distinctive storytelling and Delroy Lindo’s monumental performance for praise. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/da-5-bloods-film-review-spike-lees-vietnam-epic-finds-an-apocalypse-then-and-now/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating B-. 12 June 2020. Goldberg finds the film ambitious and compelling, though its many themes sometimes leave the story spread thin. He especially praises Delroy Lindo’s nuanced performance as Paul, which gives the character depth and complexity. [Read the review](https://collider.com/da-5-bloods-netflix-review/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 3.5/5. 10 June 2020. Crow finds the film ambitious and moving, even as its sprawling ideas and long runtime make the narrative uneven. He especially praises Delroy Lindo’s performance and the emotional truth in the veterans’ fractured relationships. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/da-5-bloods-review-spike-lee/) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 27 December 2020. Kermode finds the film ambitious but scattered, uneven in tone, and ultimately short of its potential. She praises Delroy Lindo’s performance and the political use of archival footage, while criticizing the excess of subplots and the lack of focus. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/da-5-bloods-2020-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © 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/da-5-bloods.md