--- title: "Musk: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/musk/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/musk" critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 16 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." --- # Musk (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 16 reviews: 12 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics find Gibney’s documentary absorbing and damning, and most say it earns its near-four-hour sitting. The praise clusters on the research: the case built from Musk’s own words and actions, the interviews with his former partners and colleagues, and the detailed investigation of Tesla’s safety claims and the crashes involving its self-driving cars. Several reviews call it chilling; a few go further and call it important. The reservations cluster on the devices rather than the argument. The AI avatar built from Musk’s words divides the reviews: The Hollywood Reporter calls it inventive, the Los Angeles Times calls it gimmicky and The AV Club finds it off-putting. The 225-minute runtime draws complaints of strain, and some critics note the material is already familiar. The spread is narrow. The one outright dissent is Consequence, which thinks the facts are horrifying enough that the animated sequences and digital clone only get in the way. ## The New Yorker — Sheelah Kolhatkar Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2026. Kolhatkar finds the documentary mesmerizing and chilling, saying it punctures Musk’s self-mythology with a damning portrait of his power. She particularly praises the interviews with Musk’s former partners for illuminating his control over the women who had his children. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/in-musk-alex-gibney-punctures-elons-self-mythology) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. Ebiri finds the documentary gripping and fascinating as a character study, while portraying it as a terrifying warning about the future. He praises its four-hour scope for giving Musk’s story a dramatic sweep rather than reducing it to headlines. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-alex-gibneys-musk-is-terrifying.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. Rooney finds the documentary a persuasive, chilling, and absorbing portrait of Musk’s power, though its 225-minute run invites questions about sustaining outrage. He especially praises Gibney’s inventive use of an AI avatar built from Musk’s own words. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/musk-review-elon-musk-documentary-alex-gibney-hbo-1236693254/) ## Time Out — Lou Thomas Rating 4/5. 9 September 2026. The review presents the documentary as deep, dark and worrying, while suggesting viewers will enjoy it despite Musk’s dislike. It singles out Gibney’s unsettling portrait of the world’s richest man. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/musk-review-2026) ## IndieWire — Ryan Lattanzio Rating B. 8 October 2026. The critic calls the documentary a distressing, damning, and necessary account, despite its limited access and familiar revelations. They praise its exhaustive research and effective use of repeated, blunt visual metaphors. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/musk-documentary-review-alex-gibney-elon-musk-1235215433/) ## The AV Club — Monica Castillo Rating B. 11 September 2026. Castillo delivers a strongly negative verdict, arguing that Gibney exposes Musk as a deceptive and dangerous figure. She praises the documentary’s case built from Musk’s own words and actions, though its uncanny-valley avatar is off-putting. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/musk-review-alex-gibney-elon-documentary-corruption) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. Gleiberman calls the documentary an important, lacerating watch that makes sense of Musk’s contradictions. He particularly praises Gibney’s skill at piecing together the evolution of Musk’s ambitions and public image. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/musk-review-elon-musk-alex-gibney-1236854369/) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2026. Abele finds Gibney’s documentary a deeply researched, clear-eyed portrait of Musk, though its nearly four-hour length strains the story. He praises its exposure of Musk as a self-promoter, while calling the computer-generated Musk gimmicky. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-10-09/musk-review-alex-gibney-elon-tesla-spacex) ## Radio Times — James Mottram Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. The review presents the documentary as absorbing and not a hatchet job. It singles out its compelling treatment of Musk, though the article text is unavailable to confirm further details. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/musk-documentary-review/) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. Grierson presents the documentary as gripping overall, though somewhat glossy. He singles out its exhaustive study of Elon Musk, while noting its polished sheen. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/musk-review-alex-gibney-presents-a-gripping-if-glossy-study-of-controversial-billionaire-elon-musk/5220184.article) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. Bradshaw finds the documentary absorbing, while portraying Musk as banal, destructive and unsettling. He praises its wide-ranging account, especially the testimony from Musk’s former wife and colleagues. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/08/musk-review-epic-study-worlds-richest-most-banal-man-elon-film) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. Strong finds the documentary damning and maddening, though its video-game framing is over-laboured. She praises the candid interviews and brisk editing for making Musk’s actions speak clearly to a general audience. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/venice-film-festival/musk-first-look-review) ## Slant Magazine — Kenji Fujishima Rating 2.5/4. 5 October 2026. The review finds the documentary a damning but not entirely illuminating chronicle of Musk. It praises the exhaustive account of his rise and its especially harrowing examination of fatal crashes involving self-driving Teslas. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/musk-documentary-review-alex-gibney-elon-musk/) ## Deadline — Matthew Carey Fi1m's normalised score 88/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. Carey calls the documentary engrossing and Gibney’s most important work, while finding one sensational election-related claim less than completely convincing. He particularly praises its psychological portrait of Musk and its detailed investigation of Tesla’s safety claims. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/09/musk-review-venice-film-festival-1237070698/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2026. Festival review. The critic finds the documentary slow to reach its force but ultimately grimly compelling. They praise its immediate, late-film account of the consequences of Musk’s power, while noting the familiar material and lengthy runtime. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/musk-review-alex-gibney-punishing-elon-musk-documentary/) ## Consequence — Liz Shannon Miller Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2026. The critic calls the documentary a vital, nearly comprehensive portrait, but says its truth is more horrifying than its gimmicks. She particularly criticizes the tasteless animated sequences and unsettling digital Elon clone. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2026/10/musk-review-alex-gibney-movie-documentary/) --- © 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/musk.md