Moffie (2020)

Lattanzio calls the film a powerful portrayal of gay repression and apartheid. He praises its sensual cinematography and editing, which make the protagonist’s claustrophobia and memories vivid.

Dunn finds the film an unsettling, thrillingly cinematic portrait of repression and self-loathing. He particularly praises its feverish atmosphere, shaped by intimate cinematography and an intense score.

Lodge calls the film a formally assured, piercing masterpiece. He particularly praises its tactile, sensually attentive cinematography and its sensitive portrayal of desire under brutal homophobia.

A compelling, emotionally intelligent drama that examines the violence of military indoctrination and the criminalization of gay identity. The critic praises Kai Luke Brummer’s magnetic reserve and the film’s evocative cinematography.

Walsh finds the film a tough but rewarding drama that exposes the fear and hatred of apartheid-era conscription. He singles out its potent depiction of psychological anguish and the poisonous force of homophobic slurs.

The critic finds the bootcamp drama bruising yet tender in its treatment of coming out. They single out its subtle beauty in expressing the pain and uncertainty of that experience.

Garcia finds Moffie harrowing and rewarding, though its heavy-handed direction sometimes undermines its irresolute ending. He praises the film’s focused portrayal of Nicholas’s experience and singles out the swimming-pool flashback as genuinely harrowing.

Bradshaw finds the drama grimly compelling, tender and charged with eroticism, while noting complications in its treatment of race. He singles out the film’s transformation of threatening male physicality into moments of beauty and tenderness.

Rooney finds the film a powerful, often beautiful drama, though its later sections meander and feel rushed. He particularly praises Kai Luke Brummer’s intensely restrained performance and the film’s evocative cinematography.

The available page does not reveal the critic’s verdict or specific praise or complaint. It describes a young South African man struggling to conceal his homosexuality during military service.

Strong describes the film as bleak, punishing and necessary, while finding tenderness and hope amid its brutality. She praises its atmospheric portrayal of clandestine longing and the beauty of the South African landscape, set against the hatred of apartheid.

The review presents the drama as an examination of the prejudices of apartheid South Africa. It highlights the friendships that help Nicholas endure the bullying and humiliation of military service.

Bhandari calls the film masterful and sharply relevant, while acknowledging its brutal subject matter and cautiously hopeful ending. She praises its tight script, cinematography, and cast for bringing the conscripts’ inner struggles and South African history to life.

Kermode finds the film powerful and among Oliver Hermanus’s finest works. She particularly praises Kai Luke Brummer’s restrained, physically expressive performance as Nick.

McCarthy considers the film very fine and distinctive, praising Hermanus’s nuanced handling of its prejudices and historical perspective. He finds the flashback disruptive at a pivotal point and the ending somewhat soft.

The critic finds the film thoughtful and convincing in its portrayal of queer experience within a brutal, hyper-masculine military setting. They praise its claustrophobic cinematography and its ability to find intimacy and humanity amid dehumanisation.

Atkinson finds the film’s early approach imprecise, but says its direction becomes tighter and more controlled. He praises its portrayal of the military’s hypermasculine culture as a source of hatred.