Critics’ reviews

War (2026)

8 reviews from 8 publications. Critics’ score 74: 6 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative.

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74
Positive
6
Mixed
1
Negative
1

Most critics have a good time with War. Six of the seven reviews are positive, and the praise clusters in two places: the plotting, which is described as intricate, fast-moving and full of precisely paced twists, with George Kay’s storytelling singled out; and the performances, above all Dominic West and Sienna Miller as a couple whose affection survives a vicious divorce. Several reviews call it froth and mean it as a compliment: a palate-cleanser, stylish and addictively entertaining.

The reservations are about depth. The AV Club finds the central relationship underdeveloped, The Hollywood Reporter says the series falters when it reaches for deeper sentiment, and Vulture thinks it grows silly and moralising, with the character of Johnny a hard man to spend time with. The spread is wide for a consensus this warm. IndieWire’s Ben Travers is the lone dissenter, finding the series dull and its legal battle uninvolving, though even he credits West’s earnest performance.

The Guardian
2 October 2026 · Lucy Mangan
95*

Mangan calls the series massive fun and an ideal palate-cleanser. She particularly praises its intricate, fast-moving legal plotting and strong performances.

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Variety
1 October 2026 · Aramide Tinubu
85*

Tinubu finds the series thoroughly captivating, with tension and twists that build into an intricate legal drama. She particularly praises Dominic West and Sienna Miller’s convincing portrayals of a couple whose affection persists beneath their bitter divorce.

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The AV Club
1 October 2026 · B+ · Saloni Gajjar
83

Gajjar finds the series a frothy, stylish legal drama with plenty of thrills, though it has room to grow. She praises the lawyers’ tangled schemes and the sleek visuals, while faulting the central couple’s underdeveloped relationship.

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Radio Times
25 September 2026 · Gareth McLean
80*

McLean presents the series as a dazzling, thoroughly entertaining legal drama. The high-profile divorce battle is singled out as its central draw.

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The Hollywood Reporter
30 September 2026 · Angie Han
80*

Han finds the series an addictively entertaining legal drama, though it falters when reaching for deeper sentiment. She praises George Kay’s deft storytelling and the precisely paced twists and turns.

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Vulture
1 October 2026 · Jackson McHenry
70*

McHenry finds the series familiar but entertaining, praising its brisk plotting and strong ensemble. He criticizes Johnny as insufferable and poorly conveyed, and says the drama grows silly and moralizing.

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IndieWire
1 October 2026 · D+ · Ben Travers
43

Travers finds the series dull, meaningless, and unable to make its legal battle or characters compelling. He praises Dominic West’s earnest performance, but says the character’s clichéd flaws undermine it.

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Collider
1 October 2026 · 5/10 · Victoria Luxford
50

The critic finds the series entertaining but emotionally vacant and ultimately shallow. She praises the leads and sharp dialogue, while faulting the show for failing to develop its characters or say much about its subject.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate