81
Metascore
30 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100CineVueEd FranklCineVueEd FranklAsbæk is towering as Claus, never less than believable as the leader of his platoon, and standout as he comes to terms with the cracks in his own story.
- 100Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlPerhaps the best film yet set against the mess of the ongoing Middle Eastern wars, Tobias Lindholm's latest is a scrupulous, unglamorized examination of battlefield decision-making — and its potentially devastating impacts, both there and back home.
- 91The PlaylistJessica KiangThe PlaylistJessica KiangThe real war of A War is waged within Claus, with Lindholm's camera trained mercilessly on Asbæk as he delivers yet another faultlessly committed performance, within a large ensemble in which every performer feels note-perfect.
- 83The Film StageThe Film StageLindholm excels at a sort of controlled naturalism – malleable enough to let the scene develop autonomously, and so precise and inquisitive that there’s not even a hint of padding in sight.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterBoyd van HoeijThe Hollywood ReporterBoyd van HoeijLindholm here makes yet another modestly scaled but effective drama that asks more uncomfortable questions than it answers.
- 80Time Out LondonAnna SmithTime Out LondonAnna SmithIn its own restrained way, this drama packs an emotional punch.
- 80EmpireOlly RichardsEmpireOlly RichardsIt’s a riveting, complex film that asks one simple question: what do you do when there’s no right answer?
- 50Slant MagazineClayton DillardSlant MagazineClayton DillardTobias Lindholm stages his claims through clunky dramaturgical scenarios, with the seams exposed at every turn.