--- title: "Victoria: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/victoria/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/victoria" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 25 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." --- # Victoria (2015): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 25 reviews: 22 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. ## Empire — Liz Moody Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2016. The critic praises the film's technical achievement as a seamless two-hour-plus single take while highlighting its engaging character work and shift into a gripping thriller. Strong naturalistic performances, especially from Laia Costa and Frederick Lau, and impressive cinematography are singled out as strengths. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/victoria-review/) ## Film Comment — Jonathan Romney Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2015. The critic praises the single-take structure for immersing viewers in the unpredictable flow of one intense Berlin night, highlighting the lead performance's range from naivety to feral intensity and the film's blend of euphoria, romance, and danger. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/film-of-the-week-victoria-sebastian-schipper/) ## Financial Times — Nigel Andrews Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2016. The critic calls the film amazing and a headlong crime thriller-cum-romance filmed in a single take. They single out the pell-mell plot, wonderfully acted human moments of vulnerability and love alongside its hellish ones. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/0d42345c-f72d-11e5-96db-fc683b5e52db) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2016. The critic calls it a gripping heist drama captured in one continuous 138-minute shot, carried along on adrenaline and logistical daring. They single out the way the single-take format approximates accumulated fear and exhaustion while showing Victoria's character evolution. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/mar/31/victoria-review-one-take-berlin-schipper-heist-thriller) ## The New York Times — Stephen Holden Rating Critic’s Pick. 8 October 2015. Victoria is a sensational cinematic stunt that conveys roller-coaster excitement while also contemplating millennial ennui. The one-take filming in real time across Berlin locations is singled out as its core achievement. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/movies/review-victoria-a-nonstop-flight-through-the-streets-of-berlin.html) ## The Times — Ed Potton Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 April 2016. The critic hails it as the film that out-Birdmans Birdman with a real unbroken two-hour-plus shot across 22 locations. They single out the power of the performances that make viewers feel they have been up all night with Victoria. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/victoria-cjt8md2kk) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2015. Festival review. Victoria is exhilarating stunt filmmaking of a high order, a heady heist thriller suffused with grace and emotional authenticity. The virtuoso single-take camerawork by Sturla Brandth Grovlen is singled out as a major achievement. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/berlin-film-review-victoria-1201426918/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 3/4/3. 31 March 2016. The review finds the single-take approach sensational and an ode to filmmaking craft. It singles out the logistical achievement and how the technique supercharges the material, though notes the film is half great and half silly. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/victoria) ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 4/5. 29 March 2016. The critic calls it an extraordinary, raw and exciting filmgoing experience. The astonishing single-take choreography and sense of immediacy and momentum are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/london/film/victoria-2) ## Los Angeles Times — Andy Klein Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2015. The film succeeds as an astounding technical feat with its claimed single continuous take across multiple locations and public spaces. Laia Costa is singled out as immensely appealing in conveying the protagonist's situation. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/socal/glendale-news-press/entertainment/andy-klein/tn-gnp-film-review-victoria-tells-its-crime-tale-in-one-take-20151017-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Brian Tallerico Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2015. The film is a breathtaking technical accomplishment as a single-take heist thriller but the second half sags due to forced plot decisions and runs too long. The standout element is Laia Costa's mesmerizing lead performance as Victoria. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/victoria-2015) ## Sight and Sound — Lisa Mullen Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 March 2016. The critic praises the film's ambition and commitment despite tonal wavering. The single-take technique and strong performances by the leads are singled out as turning a potential gimmick into an engrossing portrait. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-victoria) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Dalton Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2015. Festival review. The critic finds the single-take heist thriller a largely successful stylistic experiment that shifts effectively from talky drama to adrenaline-fueled action. The technical achievement and committed lead performances are highlighted as strengths. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/victoria-berlin-review-770825/) ## The AV Club — Mike D'Angelo Rating C. 8 October 2015. The one-take gimmick is criticized as bloating the runtime and rendering the film empty, with the narrative lacking depth beyond the technical stunt. The appealing lead performance is noted but undermined by implausible plotting. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/victoria-demonstrates-why-it-s-a-bad-idea-to-shoot-a-mo-1798185149) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2015. Festival review. The review finds the news mixed: moments of real adrenalin and engaging camaraderie, but the story feels clichéd and credibility-stretched once the one-take element is set aside. The livewire performance by Laia Costa is singled out. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/victoria/5082905.article) ## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2015. The long-take conceit heightens tension initially but becomes a mechanical fetish that stretches scenes unnecessarily and devolves into redundant cacophony. Dramatic escalation and the protagonist's descent are singled out as effective before the gimmick overwhelms them. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/victoria/) ## Digital Spy — Matthew Turner Rating 5/5. 31 March 2016. The review calls the single-take thriller an exhilarating, visceral instant classic that mixes humor, romance, gripping tension, and emotion while showcasing Schipper as a major talent. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a788887/this-weeks-new-movie-releases-reviewed-victoria-black-mountain-poets/) ## Collider — Phil Brown Rating B+. 10 September 2015. Festival review. The critic highlights the impressive single-take execution as a cinematic miracle that heightens tension in the thriller elements and praises the strong chemistry between the leads. The first half is somewhat rambling but watchable, with the genre shift making the unbroken shot feel essential. [Read the review](https://collider.com/victoria-review-tiff-2015/) ## The Playlist — Jessica Kiang Rating B+. 16 February 2015. Festival review. The real one-take feat is visceral and dynamic, offering insight into group loyalty and the passage of time beyond mere technical bravado. It relies heavily on camerawork and performances to overcome screenplay bumps from its improvisational origins. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/berlin-review-the-140-minute-action-packed-one-shot-wonder-victoria-20150216/) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 November 2015. The critic calls it pure cinema that captures the seductive joys of youth and Berlin nightlife through the unbroken take, praising the technical achievement and the way it builds dread and emotional connection. It notes that the film occasionally feels like a typical crime story in its later sections due to escalating bad decisions. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2015/11/film-review-victoria/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 2015. The single-take approach, aided by improvisation, delivers fluid urgency and naturalism while keeping characters believable even in contrived situations. Strong camerawork, performances, and scoring make the thriller elements compelling and satisfying. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/victoria-2015-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Skinny — Ross McIndoe Rating 4/5. 24 May 2016. The critic highlights the single continuous take's staggering logistical achievement and its success in capturing the spontaneity, euphoria, and sudden intensity of a night out in Berlin, calling the film an excellent piece of cinema. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews/victoria) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 October 2015. The single-take drama is immersive and engrossing despite its protagonist's implausible naivete, functioning more as a study of time and fleeting connections than character insight. The critic praises the tense, thrilling crime sequences and the intense bond that develops between the leads. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/victoria-review-laia-costa-frederick-lau-sebastian-schipper/) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 October 2015. Festival review. The single-take technique creates an immersive, thrilling experience that draws viewers into the characters' night, with strong performances especially from Laia Costa. However, it may be elevating what is ultimately a fairly conventional thriller narrative. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/victoria-review/) ## Paste — Tim Grierson Rating 7.8. 7 October 2015. The review commends the audacious single-take technique for creating a unique, gripping experience that stands apart from other films and singles out Laia Costa's understated performance as supplying the film's heart. It notes some tonal awkwardness and tedium in the rambling first hour but finds the overall formal construction rewarding. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/victoria/victoria) --- © 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/victoria.md