--- title: "The Survivalist: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-survivalist/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-survivalist" critics_score: 73 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." --- # The Survivalist (2015): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 12 reviews: 9 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics admire The Survivalist, and the spread is narrow: nine of the twelve reviews are positive and none is outright negative. The praise gathers around Stephen Fingleton’s direction, which several reviews call an assured debut, and around the film’s restraint. Critics repeatedly single out the framing and the cinematography, which they say keep the woods tense even when little is happening, and the performances, with reviewers noting how much the actors convey through gesture and silence rather than dialogue. Martin McCann’s lead performance draws particular praise. The reservations are about character and pace. Several reviews find the people thinly drawn or hard to like, the ending cryptic, and the restraint pushed further than it needs to go. Little White Lies thinks it tightly made but short on originality. The one firmly unimpressed voice is Collider, which finds it bleak and dull and objects to how Milja’s dependence on the Survivalist is handled. ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating B+. 20 April 2015. Festival review. Kohn finds the film hypnotic and suspenseful, despite underdeveloped characters and occasional vignettes that feel piled up. He praises its precise framing and textured landscape for turning the story into a fascinating cinematic puzzle. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/tribeca-review-riveting-the-survivalist-is-mad-max-in-the-countryside-62885/) ## Radio Times — Damon Wise Rating 4/5. The critic praises the film as a stark, realistic take on societal collapse. Its restrained approach is singled out as a corrective to more garish dystopian films. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-07qihf/the-survivalist/) ## The Guardian — Mark Kermode Rating 4/5. 14 February 2016. Kermode finds the film an impressive, unsettling debut and a beautifully bleak dystopian drama. He particularly praises its visual storytelling and the performers’ ability to convey character through gesture rather than dialogue. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/14/the-survivalist-mark-kermode-review) ## Time Out — David Clack Rating 4/5. 8 February 2016. The critic calls the film an effective, ambiguous post-apocalyptic drama. They praise Stephen Fingleton’s work as an impressive directorial debut. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-survivalist) ## The AV Club — Katie Rife Rating B. 17 May 2017. Rife finds the minimalist post-apocalyptic thriller rewarding for viewers who can embrace its slow, naturalistic pace, though it is not for those seeking action spectacle. She praises its thoughtful cinematography and character development, especially a fluid shot that shifts the balance of power in a scene. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-survivalist-is-post-apocalyptic-action-at-its-most-1798191363) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 76/100 (inferred from the text). 18 May 2017. Walsh finds the dystopian thriller riveting and morally confounding, despite its excessive restraint and cryptic resolutions. She praises the meticulous cinematography for sustaining a sense of tense foreboding. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-mini-survivalist-review-20170518-story.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2015. Festival review. The review finds the film an assured, starkly effective debut with a lean life-or-death atmosphere. It praises the performances and the way silence conveys the characters’ ambivalence and hard-won caution. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/survivalist-tribeca-review-789013/) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 February 2016. Newman finds it a harsh, unsentimental and intensely physical post-apocalyptic film, with empathy persisting beneath its brutality. He praises the performances and the striking contrast between the calm woods and the hard work of survival. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/survivalist-review/) ## Screen Daily — Graham Fuller Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 17 April 2015. The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also gives no specific praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-survivalist-review/5086626.article) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/3/3. 11 February 2016. Jenkins finds the film impressive and tightly made, though short on originality and held back by a less engaging lead. He praises its lean storytelling and claustrophobic close-up style. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-survivalist) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds the film captivating and haunting, despite some contrived visions and unnecessary Biblical references. It especially praises Martin McCann’s performance and the film’s tense, raw portrayal of survival. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-survivalist-review/) ## Collider — Perri Nemiroff Rating C. 17 April 2015. Festival review. Nemiroff finds the film bleak, dull, and unentertaining, despite acknowledging its grounded approach. She singles out the unlikable characters and the distracting depiction of Milja’s dependence on the Survivalist for food and shelter. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-survivalist-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/the-survivalist.md