--- title: "L'Atalante: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/latalante/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/latalante" critics_score: 84 critics_reviews: 12 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." --- # L'Atalante (1934): what the critics said Critics' score 84 from 12 reviews: 11 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to L’Atalante, with praise clustering around its blend of ordinary working life, dreamlike imagery and sensual romance. The reviews repeatedly single out Boris Kaufman’s cinematography and Vigo’s handling of love and marriage, finding tenderness and strangeness in small moments without forced whimsy. Michel Simon’s Père Jules draws particular affection, while the Los Angeles Times highlights Maurice Jaubert’s score and the way it works with images and ambient sound. The reservations are limited rather than shared across the reviews: Sight and Sound notes rough photography and continuity, but still finds the mixture of realism and psychological fantasy persuasive. The ratings span a wider range than the accessible commentary suggests, with eleven positive assessments and one mixed. Several lower-scoring entries lack enough accessible text to establish their objections, so there is no clear, documented counterargument to the prevailing enthusiasm. ## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson Rating 4/4. 22 April 2003. Henderson presents the film as a beautiful, rich celebration of human connection. He singles out its frank, sensual portrayal of sexual freedom and the dreamlike imagery aboard the barge. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/latalante/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2012. Bradshaw calls Vigo’s film a mature masterpiece, praising its blend of delicacy, sophistication and human feeling. He singles out Boris Kaufman’s unforgettable, dreamlike cinematography. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jan/19/l-atalante-review) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2012. Brody calls the film one of cinema’s greatest and celebrates its unusual blend of ecstasy and realism. He singles out its portrayal of physical and emotional labor, as well as Michel Simon’s seemingly timeless character. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/dvd-of-the-week-latalante) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 4 October 2018. Abele calls the film an enchanting, versatile masterpiece that rewards repeated viewings. He especially praises Maurice Jaubert’s score and its powerful interplay with the film’s images and ambient sounds. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-l-atalante-review-20181004-story.html) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds the film an enduring, imaginative achievement despite rough photography and continuity. They especially praise how Vigo blends ordinary realism with surreal, psychological fantasy. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/extraordinary-film-about-ordinary-people-latalante-reviewed-1951) ## Evening Standard — Derek Malcolm Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. Malcolm presents L'Atalante as a cherished, poetic work by a cinematic genius. He particularly praises Boris Kaufman's dreamlike cinematography. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/l-atalante-7382593.html) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2012. Thomas regards the film as a haunting romantic fable that has improved with age. He praises its strange blend of dingy realism and almost magical eroticism. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/latalante-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 71/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 2007. The article appears to be a Great Movies review, but its text could not be accessed. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-latalante-1934) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 1990. The headline suggests a favorable verdict on the film’s lasting appeal. The accessible page does not reveal what the critic specifically praises. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/14/movies/film-l-atalante-a-slow-boat-bound-for-lasting-fame.html) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2012. The available page identifies this as a film review but provides no review text, so its verdict is unavailable. No specific element praised or criticized can be verified from the supplied material. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/latalante-1934) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2011. The critic presents L’Atalante as a vibrant, joyful work with a gently told story of love and marriage. They praise its poetic moments and Vigo’s gentle touch, which keeps its whimsy from feeling forced. [Read the review](https://collider.com/jean-vigo-criterion-blu-rayreview-orpheus-criterion-blu-ray/) ## HeyUGuys — Avalon Lyndon Rating 4/5. 13 December 2011. The review finds the film a delicate, lovely work whose quiet simplicity is more rewarding than its reputation might suggest. It praises the poetic small moments and singles out Michel Simon’s Père Jules as a scene-stealer. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/latalante-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/latalante.md