--- title: "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom" critics_score: 56 critics_reviews: 17 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." --- # Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013): what the critics said Critics' score 56 from 17 reviews: 4 positive, 8 mixed, 5 negative. The reviews lean mixed on Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, with much firmer agreement about Idris Elba than about the film around him. Most critics praise his charisma, control and ability to convey Mandela’s humanity, even when they find the storytelling dutiful. The Los Angeles Times also singles out Naomie Harris’s compelling Winnie Mandela. The more favourable reviews find the familiar biographical approach moving and worthwhile despite its limited complexity. Reservations centre on the attempt to fit a long, complicated life into a procession of key events. Several critics find the chronology rushed, the politics simplified and Mandela himself kept emotionally distant. The spread is wide: some accept the conventional structure as a serviceable introduction, while others find that reverence drains the drama. The Evening Standard is particularly dismissive of the disconnected milestones and educational-video approach. Even among the detractors, Elba remains a recurring exception to the disappointment. ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2013. Turan finds the familiar biographical story worth experiencing again, despite its illustrated-history style and celebratory tone. He especially praises Idris Elba’s charismatic performance and Naomie Harris’s compelling portrayal of Winnie Mandela. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-mandela-long-walk-20131129-story.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2013. Festival review. Rooney finds the biopic stirring and increasingly effective, though its opening feels uneven and its storytelling lacks complexity. He especially praises Idris Elba’s commanding, subtly detailed performance as Mandela. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mandela-long-walk-freedom-toronto-624015/) ## IndieWire — Stephen Aspeling Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2013. The critic finds the film an important, lovingly dramatized political epic, though it would have benefited from more time to explore Mandela’s struggles. Idris Elba’s performance is singled out as terrific and central to the film’s drive. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-a-south-african-perspective-on-mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-32583/) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2013. The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the available page text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom/5060175.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2013. The URL indicates a review of the specified film, but the article text could not be accessed. Its verdict and any specific praise or criticism cannot be confirmed. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/movies/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-with-idris-elba.html) ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 11 July 2013. Errigo finds the biopic vivid and substantial but says its conventional march through Mandela’s life rarely catches fire. She praises Idris Elba’s commanding performance and the film’s affecting celebration of Mandela’s dignity. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mandela-long-walk-freedom-review/) ## Radio Times — Andrew Collins Rating 3/5. The review finds the film handsome but prosaic, with its long historical span feeling episodic. It praises Idris Elba’s performance for its controlled grace. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-67iwf4/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom/) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 3/5. 25 November 2013. The available page identifies this as a review, but provides no review text from which to establish the critic’s verdict. Its metadata notes the film’s attempt to cover Mandela’s life from its roots onward. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating C. 28 November 2013. Dowd finds the film an empty, overstuffed biopic that offers facts without insight into Mandela. He praises Idris Elba’s charisma in the early scenes but says the sprawling structure and rushed chronology undermine the performance and story. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/despite-a-game-idris-elba-mandela-long-walk-to-freedo-1798178838) ## Slant Magazine — Andrew Schenker Rating 1.5/4. 23 November 2013. Schenker finds the biopic dutiful and overly simplistic, reducing Mandela’s complicated life and politics to a cursory history lesson. He faults its failure to probe the implications of Mandela’s changing positions and the country’s political reality. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom/) ## Variety — Scott Foundas Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2013. Festival review. Foundas finds the film stolid and overstuffed, despite its powerful subject. He praises Idris Elba’s towering performance for capturing Mandela’s spirit and humanity. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-review-toronto-1200604107/) ## The Guardian — Henry Barnes Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2013. Festival review. Barnes finds the film respectful but weighed down by its solemnity and rushed, checklist approach to Mandela’s life. He praises Idris Elba’s convincing, deft performance, while faulting the film for losing the everyday details of Mandela’s struggle. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/sep/08/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-review-toronto) ## Evening Standard — The Standard Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 3 January 2014. The critic finds the film worthy but dramatically inert, crippled by reverence and a lack of continuity. The review particularly faults its chronological stringing together of key moments and its educational-video style. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-film-review-8804391.html) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2013. The critic finds the biopic moving and fair-minded, though somewhat stolid and overlong. Idris Elba is singled out for bringing Mandela’s physical presence and humanity to the role. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/mandela-long-walk-freedom-review-idris-elba-finds-humanity-icon-moving-stolid-biopic/) ## Den of Geek — Carley Tauchert Rating 3/5. 21 May 2014. The review calls the biopic a decent overview, though it feels rushed and gives Winnie’s story too much attention. It especially praises Idris Elba’s performance as Mandela, describing it as the film’s standout strength. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-blu-ray-review/) ## Digital Spy — Emma Dibdin Rating 3/5. 30 December 2013. Dibdin finds the film a respectable but ultimately disappointing chronicle that misses Mandela’s human complexity. She praises Idris Elba’s magnetic, nuanced performance, while noting that the screenplay keeps Mandela emotionally distant. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a539427/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-review-idris-elba-in-earnest-biopic/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 7 January 2014. The critic finds the biopic well made and sincere but one-sided and emotionally muted. Elba’s gritty, committed performance is singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom-2013-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © 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/mandela-long-walk-to-freedom.md