--- title: "Darkest Hour: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/darkest-hour/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/darkest-hour" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 25 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." --- # Darkest Hour (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 25 reviews: 17 positive, 8 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like it, and for the same reason. Gary Oldman’s Churchill draws praise across the board: bluster and frailty in one body, a performance that most reviews say goes past caricature. Joe Wright’s direction is the second point of agreement, with several reviews admiring the noirish lighting and the energy he brings to a film set mostly in rooms. Several critics treat it as a natural companion to Dunkirk. The reservations are about everything around the performance. Some find Wright’s style too busy, with The Times complaining that the slow motion and swooping camera rob the film of weight. A cluster of British reviews single out an invented scene on the London Underground as cheesy enough to damage the whole. Slant and The Ringer think the film flatters its hero and adds little insight. The spread is narrow, with no outright pans, and The AV Club stands alone in finding Oldman’s prosthetic performance the weak spot rather than the strength. ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2017. Festival review. An electric chamber piece that complements Dunkirk, with Gary Oldman delivering a rousing and ferocious performance as Churchill. The film is a taut, stylish biopic centered on Churchill's early days as prime minister. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman-winston-churchill-telluride-1201872512/) ## RogerEbert.com — Godfrey Cheshire Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 2017. The critic finds the historical drama electrifying and compares it favorably to other standout films, praising its intellectual engagement with history alongside thrilling storytelling. Oldman's performance and the film's direction, cinematography, and script are singled out for particular acclaim. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/darkest-hour-2017) ## The Independent Rating ★★★★☆. 11 January 2018. Oldman delivers a phenomenal, bravura performance as Churchill that goes beyond caricature to show a devious, resilient and guilt-ridden figure. Wright shoots the chamber drama in a noirish style with visual flourishes and crafts a nuanced portrait that largely avoids jingoism. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/film-reviews-roundup-darkest-hour-my-life-story-a-woman-s-life-eric-clapton-a-life-in-12-bars-the-brawler-a8151161.html) ## Empire — Dan Jolin Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2017. Oldman gives the performance of a lifetime as Churchill, bringing bombast, bluster and empathetic frailty to the role in a way that makes every moment a joy. Wright brings visual flair to the interior drama with noirish lighting and motifs while keeping the focus on Churchill's internal conflict. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/darkest-hour-2-review/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2017. Festival review. Gary Oldman delivers one of his greatest performances as Churchill, making the character human and nuanced. Joe Wright's cinematic direction is celebrated for balancing public triumphs with private vulnerability in a compelling, populist history lesson. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman-1202545711/) ## Film Comment — Michael Sragow Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2017. The critic commends Gary Oldman's transformative portrayal of Churchill and Joe Wright's dynamic direction that treats politics as warfare, while noting the film's propulsive style can feel wearying at times. Oldman's ability to convey both zeal and fragility stands out. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-darkest-hour/) ## Radio Times — Damon Wise Rating ★★★★. 9 January 2018. The critic calls it a near-perfect companion to Dunkirk, praising Oldman's sensational performance as Churchill while noting some Hollywood pitfalls like an absurd Tube scene and underused supporting actress. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/darkest-hour-oldman-is-never-less-than-sensational/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Rating 4/5. 28 January 2018. Gary Oldman delivers an amazement of a performance as Churchill that metabolises the icon and has the power to galvanise, in a film that demonstrates the value of strong leadership in crisis. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldmans-churchill-will-galvanise-nation/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2017. The film offers a verbose, stylish behind-the-scenes look at Churchill's early premiership that complements Dunkirk, emphasizing big themes of perseverance through Wright's visual flair and Oldman's performance. It builds myths and functions best as entertaining propaganda with a grain of salt. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/11/darkest-hour-review.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2017. Oldman's bulldog performance as Churchill is praised as convincing and humanizing, elevating the film despite the director's high-energy, showy style that sometimes feels overwrought. The review notes the energetic direction by Joe Wright but finds it occasionally excessive for the material. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-darkest-hour-review-20171121-story.html) ## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky Rating B-. 21 November 2017. Joe Wright's visually busy, theatrical direction makes the film watchable despite its hagiographic tendencies and lack of real insight. Gary Oldman's prosthetic, cartoonish performance as Churchill is the weak spot in an otherwise enjoyable prestige biopic. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/gary-oldman-struggles-to-lead-joe-wrights-eye-catching-1820610600) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2017. Festival review. The film is a snappy, straightforward crowd-pleaser focused on Churchill rising to the occasion against appeasers in Parliament. Gary Oldman's robust, boisterous performance as Churchill stands out as a highlight. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/darkest-hour-review-1034823/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2017. The film is viewed as a solid if somewhat conventional biopic that offers insights into Churchill's early days as prime minister. The critic notes its focus on statecraft and doubt but highlights Gary Oldman's transformative performance as the standout element. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/movies/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman.html) ## Evening Standard — Matthew Norman Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 16 January 2018. Oldman dominates with a tour-de-force portrayal that captures Churchill's arrogance, frailty and oratorical power, making the film a strong vehicle for his talent. The contrived fictional Tube scene undermines the script and reduces a momentous historical moment to cheap manipulation. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/darkest-hour-review-an-effective-vehicle-for-gary-oldmans-talent-a3738421.html) ## Sight and Sound — Philip Kemp Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 5 March 2018. The critic praises Gary Oldman's convincing portrayal of Churchill but criticizes the film for an absurd underground train scene that undermines the whole endeavor. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman-convinces-winston-churchill) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2018. The film works best as a celebration of stirring oratory but is packed with blustering old blokes and hampered by contrived scenes like Churchill on the London Underground. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jan/14/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman-kristin-scott-thomas-churchill) ## The i Paper — Matthew Turner Rating ★★★. 12 January 2018. Oldman makes the role his own with a versatile, awards-worthy performance full of mischief, vulnerability and bluster. The talky script feels repetitive with no standout set-pieces, the direction lacks imagination, and the invented Underground scene is supremely cheesy. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman-116885) ## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole Rating 2/4. 1 October 2017. Wright's film reinforces only the most simplistic and patriotic vision of Churchill, sanitizing the figure and avoiding any real intellectual or historical challenges. While some supporting performances add nuance, the overall treatment remains underdeveloped and propagandistic. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/darkest-hour/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2018. Gary Oldman’s fine Churchill performance has to fight against Joe Wright’s busy directing full of slow motion, swish pans and aerial shots that rob the film of gravity. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/theatre-dance/article/film-review-darkest-hour-gary-oldman-kristin-scott-thomas-three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-w6hj0bnh3) ## Collider — Adam Chitwood Rating B+. 20 December 2017. The critic praises Gary Oldman's astounding, transformative performance as Churchill and Joe Wright's vital direction for elevating the political drama. They single out the specific focus on Churchill's leadership during a key wartime period and the strong supporting craft. [Read the review](https://collider.com/darkest-hour-review-gary-oldman/) ## Den of Geek — Edward Douglas Rating 4/5. 12 January 2018. Praises the film as a strong companion to Dunkirk, highlighting the screenplay's handling of historical fiction and Oldman's convincing performance. Notes Wright's ability to keep the talky film engaging without dull moments. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/darkest-hour-review-2/) ## The Wrap — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2017. The film is an entertaining reminder of principled leadership in crisis, with Churchill's rousing speeches and Oldman's vibrant performance as its highlights. Wright's flamboyant direction is enjoyable but occasionally over-stylized, tipping into mythic silliness in places. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/darkest-hour-film-review-gary-oldman-winston-churchill/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 7/10. 11 September 2017. Festival review. Oldman gives a magnificent, humanizing performance as the conflicted Churchill. The film is a powerful but not flawless historical drama that avoids stuffy staging through strong direction and focus on key relationships. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/553245/darkest-hour-review/) ## The Ringer — K. Austin Collins Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 November 2017. The critic finds Gary Oldman's technically astonishing and charismatic performance as Churchill well worth the attention, but feels Joe Wright's film struggles to match it or add much depth beyond flattering the hero. They single out the performance's energy and the film's repetitive focus on political maneuvering. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2017/11/28/movies/darkest-hour-film-review-gary-oldman-winston-churchill) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Rating 3/5. 22 September 2017. Festival review. Oldman delivers a career-best, nuanced performance as Churchill that elevates the film. The biopic treads familiar ground with clichéd elements and lacks fresh insight. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/darkest-hour-review/) --- © 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/darkest-hour.md