--- title: "The Imitation Game: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-imitation-game/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-imitation-game" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 24 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." --- # The Imitation Game (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 24 reviews: 17 positive, 3 mixed, 4 negative. Most critics find The Imitation Game an absorbing, accessible historical drama, with praise centred on Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as Alan Turing. The favourable reviews credit him with conveying sensitivity beneath the character’s awkwardness, while Keira Knightley’s warmth also earns notice. The code-breaking story generally works as suspense, and several critics admire the clarity and pace with which the film handles its separate timelines. Period detail and supporting performances add to the appeal. The spread is wide, however, and even favourable notices describe a conventional biopic that sacrifices depth for tidy storytelling. Critics disagree over whether its simplifications make difficult material accessible or diminish Turing’s complexity. The New Yorker objects to the lack of mathematics and sexual candour, while The AV Club finds Cumberbatch’s social awkwardness overplayed. The sharpest reservations concern how little the film reveals about the man despite making his achievements engaging. ## Empire — Dan Jolin Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2013. The critic calls it a superb thriller and worthy biopic of a real hero, praising the tight, wiry plot with its gripping rhythm across multiple narrative strands and Benedict Cumberbatch's standout performance as Turing. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/imitation-game-review/) ## Film Comment — Michael Sragow Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2014. The critic finds the film a tremendously engaging work of historical fiction that melds fact and invention with lucidity and sweep. They single out the three-pronged structure and the performances of Benedict Cumberbatch and Alex Lawther as particularly brilliant in portraying Turing's complexity. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/deep-focus-the-imitation-game/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2014. The smartly entertaining film gives Turing’s disturbing, complex story a crackerjack cinematic presentation that is pure pleasure. It impresses with intelligent storytelling and Cumberbatch’s rich, career-highlight performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-imitation-game-movie-review-column.html) ## Total Film — James Mottram Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 November 2014. The critic describes it as a finely etched character study with Cumberbatch on towering form, noting the director's attention to period detail and the shift to a darker exploration of Turing's secrets and sexuality. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-imitation-game-review/) ## Little White Lies — Sophie Monks Kaufman Rating 3/4/3. 13 November 2014. The film has the trappings of a prestige biopic but amounts to less than it should, feeling ridiculous at times yet occasionally enjoyable and poignant. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a pitch-perfect turn, supported by Keira Knightley's warmth. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-imitation-game) ## Radio Times — Victoria Luxford Rating 4/5. Benedict Cumberbatch gives an outstanding performance as Alan Turing, and Morten Tyldum's direction makes the potentially dry subject matter absorbing. It is a thrilling piece of cinema that delves into the mind of a brilliant but unfairly treated war hero. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-9y2l3u/the-imitation-game/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 4/5. 16 November 2014. The film is an engrossing and poignant thriller that celebrates Turing’s achievements as a heroic outsider through a populist yarn. Benedict Cumberbatch’s complex performance as the indecipherable codebreaker stands out, along with strong supporting turns and the romance with the machine itself. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/16/the-imitation-game-review-engrossing-thriller-benedict-cumberbatch) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 3 September 2014. The film is a reliable, old-fashioned British period drama that is snappy and not too solemn, though it lacks some psychological depth. It is anchored by Benedict Cumberbatch's complex and standout performance as Alan Turing. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-imitation-game) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 November 2014. Despite heavy simplifications and distortions of Turing’s life, the film tells a cracking good story thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch’s captivating, strange performance as the socially oblivious genius. The conventional structure works well around the three plotlines of code-breaking, postwar persecution, and youthful flashbacks, though some elements feel overly Hollywood. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/11/movie-review-imitation-game-benedict-cumberbatch.html) ## The AV Club — Mike D'Angelo Rating B-. 25 November 2014. The film does an impressive job simplifying the complex story of breaking the Enigma code and focusing on cryptography and proto-programming. Its character study is clumsy, however, with an overly trendy emphasis on Turing possibly having Asperger’s and Cumberbatch working too hard at the social-inept-robot portrayal. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/benedict-cumberbatch-breaks-code-in-the-alan-turing-bio-1798182176) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 August 2014. Festival review. The biopic is engrossing, nicely textured, and sadly tragic, with a superb, charismatic performance by Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing. It frames his story around his later arrest for homosexuality but is overly reluctant to explore the technical details of his code-breaking work or adopt a more period-appropriate reserve. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/imitation-game-telluride-review-729267/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2014. The critic calls it a highly conventional but accessible and welcome biopic that streamlines Turing’s complex story for modern prestige cinema. Cumberbatch delivers one of the year’s finest performances, blending detachment and sensitivity. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/28/movies/the-imitation-game-stars-benedict-cumberbatch.html) ## Variety — Scott Foundas Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 August 2014. Festival review. The classy but conventional Oscar-baiting biopic reduces Turing’s life to tidy anecdotes, yet Cumberbatch’s masterful performance makes it compelling and hard to resist. It is an unapologetically old-fashioned prestige picture strong on craft but not particularly distinctive. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/telluride-film-review-the-imitation-game-1201294590/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2014. Festival review. The film is coolly intelligent with a dry wit and tells its story with a minimum of fuss, featuring strong performances especially from Benedict Cumberbatch. It is more cerebral than exhilarating and falters in the final act while trying to tie up Turing's life dramatically. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-imitation-game/5077343.article) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 27 October 2014. At best the biopic attests to Turing’s ferocious focus on his work and its impact on shortening the war; at worst it infantilizes his homosexuality and social conflicts in a manner typical of superhero cinema, reducing him to psychoanalytically trite pulp romanticism without penetrating his sexuality or allowing deeper dramatic wrestling. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-imitation-game/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 2014. The film shows no homosexual behavior, almost no math, and underestimates viewers, resulting in an overly tidy and conventional portrait that leaves Turing’s enigma intact. Cumberbatch merits more from the material despite strong supporting turns. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/01/keeping-secrets-2) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Rating 5/5. 8 October 2014. Festival review. A gripping, moving and inspiring production that excels as both a suspenseful thriller and an intimate character study of Turing. Cumberbatch delivers a career-best performance as the complex genius. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-imitation-game-review/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2014. This is one of the year’s best films, a tremendous and enthralling telling of Alan Turing’s story that is ultimately heartbreaking. The critic singles out the sparkling performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley for particular praise. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2014/11/the-imitation-game-review-benedict-cumberbatch-keira-knightley-1201298333/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating B+. 8 September 2014. Festival review. The critic praises Benedict Cumberbatch’s outstanding, layered performance as Alan Turing and Morten Tyldum’s strong direction, calling the film a compelling tale of secrets, lies, and sacrifice with twists and strong supporting work. It notes the film is a well-executed populist drama that lacks much depth but serves as an earnest tribute to Turing. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-imitation-game-review/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B. 26 November 2014. An entertaining and well-crafted suspense drama with a strong final act that becomes ethically engaging, though it relies on clichés and feels anonymous in direction. Cumberbatch anchors the film effectively. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-entertaining-and-well-crafted-the-imitation-game-starring-benedict-cumberbatch-keira-knightley-20141126/) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Rating 3/5. 28 November 2014. The critic calls the film a mostly predictable but still interesting biopic that is well-made and entertaining for those unfamiliar with the story. They single out the conventional biopic template and failure to delve deeply into Turing's full life as the main shortcomings, despite strong cast performances. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-imitation-game-review/) ## Paste — Christine N. Ziemba Rating 7.7. 2 December 2014. The critic highlights intense performances from Cumberbatch as the eccentric Turing and Knightley as Joan Clarke, along with high tension maintained even during technical scenes. It faults the film for a simple rendering of a complex man and project, missing opportunities to deeply examine themes like persecution for sexual orientation and moral dilemmas faced by the codebreakers. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-imitation-game) ## Eye for Film — Owen Van Spall Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 8 October 2014. Festival review. A solid, workmanlike period drama that feels ham-fisted, generic and overly signposted, lacking subtlety or surprises despite strong production design and Cumberbatch's presence. It is ultimately a competent but old-fashioned effort. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-imitation-game-2014-film-review-by-owen-van-spall) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 20 November 2014. The film is a derivative and formulaic biopic that fails to capture the inner life of Alan Turing despite strong performances. It succeeds more as an enjoyable wartime yarn than as insightful biography, with praise for the sense of urgency created through historical footage. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-imitation-game-review-benedict-cumberbatch-keira-knightley-matthew-goode/) --- © 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/the-imitation-game.md