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Athena

Play trailer 2:20 Poster for Athena R 2022 1h 37m Action Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Hours after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances, three siblings have their lives thrown into chaos.
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Athena

Athena

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Critics Consensus

Although it may arguably fail to do justice to its deeper themes, Athena makes for electrifying, hard-hitting viewing in the moment.

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Critics Reviews

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Ty Burr Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack) It’s been quite a while since I watched a movie in a constant fugue state of tension and admiration. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 7, 2022 Full Review Danny Leigh Financial Times The movie doesn’t have enough to say to start a real argument. Rated: 3/5 Sep 29, 2022 Full Review Dylan Roth Observer Athena is an engrossing and unflinching polemic, an “action-tragedy” that’s both a feast for the eyes and a dagger to the heart. Rated: 3.5/4 Sep 29, 2022 Full Review Jorge Loser Espinof Confrontations allow the technical aspects of Gavras' direction to shine, with a realistic but dynamic approach that creates an absorbing atmosphere of fire and debris in a labyrinthine setting. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 11, 2024 Full Review Tamma Moksha The Hindu Actors Sami Slimane and Dali Benssalah are phenomenal in their roles as embattled brothers immersed in grief, as the concise plot also helps heighten the anxiety of the film and bring the French political milieu to the fore. Jun 11, 2024 Full Review Daryl MacDonald InSession Film Athena is a dark, gritty, utterly breathtaking piece of filmmaking. It is gorgeously expansive and daring, and its cinematography a thing of wonder. Rated: B+ Apr 24, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Chris B Unlike other reviews I can actually see the meaning of this film. I can feel the tension between average people and brutal police. It conveys corruption within the police force against minorities, which is a huge problem within France. It shows brothers who are all trying to deal with the grief of losing their younger brother to brutal police violence. Whilst the film is very action based and doesn’t show too much into the backstory anyone with a brain would be able to understand what it’s about. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/25/25 Full Review Andrei D Cannot sustain its initial energy and has some pretty dumb twists but its big and flashy in the right ways, gesturing toward some big themes Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/25 Full Review Mike S Athena is a movie that pleases the eyes with it's fast pasted style and intensity, but could do with some more information about the characters, because of the movies shallow backstory. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/24/25 Full Review rana h I felt that Athena was an hour and a half of wasted time. The film is filled with screaming and violent scenes, but its plot is unconvincing, underdeveloped, and ultimately unfair. What’s more troubling is how it perpetuates harmful stereotypes, portraying Muslims as violent, ignorant, or involved in drugs. This is far from the truth. Yes, in the Middle East, and particularly in Lebanon, we have riots and revolutions. But these are not senseless acts of destruction—they are born out of desperation, a fight for basic human rights like food, education, and healthcare. The struggles we face under corrupt governments and systemic failures push us to demand the bare minimum for survival, not to wreak chaos for no reason, as depicted in the movie. The film fails to reflect the depth of our struggles or the humanity behind our actions. Instead, it sensationalizes and misrepresents, leaving a frustratingly shallow and biased narrative. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 12/02/24 Full Review Stefano C Ad inizio film, piano sequenza pazzesco di 15 minuti da far venire i brividi, da vedere e rivedere. fantastico Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/08/25 Full Review Audience Member Glorifying violence? Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Athena

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Movie Info

Synopsis Hours after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances, three siblings have their lives thrown into chaos.
Director
Romain Gavras
Producer
Mourad Belkeddar, Romain Gavras, Ladj Ly
Screenwriter
Romain Gavras, Ladj Ly
Production Co
Iconoclast
Rating
R (Language and Violence)
Genre
Action, Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 23, 2022
Runtime
1h 37m
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