Darkest Hour

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2:20

Darkest Hour

PG-13

2017

2h 5m

History

Drama

Biography

War

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Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

309 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

The fate of Western Europe hangs on Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II. The newly appointed British prime minister must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight on against incredible odds. During the next four weeks in 1940, Churchill cements his legacy as his courageous decisions and leadership help change the course of world history.

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Critics Consensus

Darkest Hour is held together by Gary Oldman's electrifying performance, which brings Winston Churchill to life even when the movie's narrative falters.

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Robert Daniels

812filmreviews

Sep 5, 2018

3/4

Darkest Hour demonstrates the immense courage Churchill had. It doesn't fully absolve and deify him, rather humanizes.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

Aug 28, 2018

I don't want to undermine my admiration for Gary Oldman's performance, but I think the film itself is flawed.

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Michael Sragow

Film Comment Magazine

Mar 8, 2018

In Darkest Hour, Wright's charged, blustery framework pulls the audience into a distant political landscape. But his approach here is also limiting and nearly wearying.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Apr 7, 2024

4/5

The film builds its mounting prospects of calamity and clashes of dissension with polish and gumption, avoiding many of the dull notes normally saddling most other behind-the-war-room yak-fests.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 20, 2022

4/5

Joe Wright offers up compelling and timely lessons on conviction, persuasion, and the power of bipartisanship – all things our current governments could learn from.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Mar 16, 2022

2.5/4

Stirring though the proceedings may sometimes be, Darkest Hour resists absolute immersion so that its audience will notice how much effort went into its making.

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Fifty T

@RT01421419 4 days ago

Gary Oldman Is the Movie Darkest Hour works very well as a companion piece to the events surrounding the early days of World War II, especially Dunkirk, showing the political pressure, uncertainty, and decision-making happening behind the scenes while military events unfolded elsewhere. The film succeeds in making cabinet meetings, speeches, and political maneuvering feel surprisingly tense and important. While it takes some dramatic liberties here and there (underground scene wink wink), it remains broadly faithful to the historical situation and captures the stakes of the moment effectively. What elevates the film above a standard historical drama is Gary Oldman. His performance is completely transformative, disappearing into the role of Winston Churchill and carrying the entire movie with authority, wit, vulnerability, and determination. Without him, this would be a solid historical drama; with him, it becomes something far more memorable. Overall, a strong and engaging 7.5/10.

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Andy B

@AndyB21 Oct 3, 2026

Although some liberties have been taken with events, an inspiring and brilliantly acted portrayal of a pivotal historical moment.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 8, 2026

Darkest Hour = a *4* star movie!

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SurvivorAlways 7

@MyLife4Me79 Jul 29, 2026

An inspiring portrayal of a harrowing time in history and the kind of wisdom and courage it takes to lead. Some of the still shots in scenes are just beautiful. Great cinematography. The acting and directing is so well done. A great film all around.

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Frans B

@FransB Jul 12, 2026

Brilliant! Gary Oldman like you have never seen him before, absolutely stunning in his portrayal of Winston Churchill. Very intelligently written and brought to screen. Fantastic cinematography creates the perfect ambiance. Technically superb movie with all the basic elements of top class production. Whole cast excels in character. Tense, gripping, suspense filled and gritty. Highly entertaining and captivating

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Tim S.

@RottenTim May 25, 2026

Incredible performance by Gary Oldman! Well done movie

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Joe Wright

Director

Gary Oldman

Winston Churchill

Kristin Scott Thomas

Clementine Churchill

Ben Mendelsohn

King George VI

Lily James

Elizabeth Layton

Ronald Pickup

Neville Chamberlain

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Synopsis

The fate of Western Europe hangs on Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II. The newly appointed British prime minister must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight on against incredible odds. During the next four weeks in 1940, Churchill cements his legacy as his courageous decisions and leadership help change the course of world history.

Director: Joe Wright
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten, Douglas Urbanski
Screenwriter: Anthony McCarten
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Working Title Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Thematic Material)
Genre: History, Drama, Biography, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $56.3M
Runtime: 2h 5m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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