Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Darkest Hour

Play trailer 2:20 Poster for Darkest Hour PG-13 Released Dec 22, 2017 2h 5m History Drama Biography War Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
84% Tomatometer 310 Reviews 82% 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.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour

What to Know

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (310) Critics Reviews
Robert Daniels 812filmreviews Darkest Hour demonstrates the immense courage Churchill had. It doesn't fully absolve and deify him, rather humanizes. Rated: 3/4 Sep 5, 2018 Full Review Mark Kermode Kermode & Mayo's Film Review I don't want to undermine my admiration for Gary Oldman's performance, but I think the film itself is flawed. Aug 28, 2018 Full Review Michael Sragow Film Comment Magazine 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. Mar 8, 2018 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson 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. Rated: 4/5 Apr 7, 2024 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies Joe Wright offers up compelling and timely lessons on conviction, persuasion, and the power of bipartisanship – all things our current governments could learn from. Rated: 4/5 Aug 20, 2022 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 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. Rated: 2.5/4 Mar 16, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Robert W Greatest movie of Churchill ever and Gary Oldman was sensational Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review Edgar R Inctedible movie! Loved it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/28/24 Full Review Patrick C It is unfortunate that a film showing how much attention its subject paid to his speeches should have been served by a screenplay that seemed so obviously 'written'. At times it seemed like there was a Churchill character checklist that was gradually ticked off - Drank like a fish? Check. Big on cigars? Check. Gets emotional? Check. Moody and stubborn? Check. And all those blatant character introductions in the script, rather ham fisted. Gary Oldman put in an excellent performance as the great man but so much of what surrounded his fine turn was deeply flawed. The camerawork and editing at times seemed rather too 'in your face' for a story of this kind and too many scenes struck me as so obviously 'staged' and directed. The great films succeed in making the viewer forget all the industry and planning behind the scenes, whereas I found myself constantly thinking how I was watching something very much 'created'. The scene on the Tube was ludicrous and the final scene in the Commons was laid on so thick it could have been Churchill applying mortar during one of his Chartwell wall-building sessions. So not a bad film but could have been so much better. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review William L The acting is phenomenal, the pacing is perfect. A riveting true story, expertly told. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review Ricardo R Gary Oldman was indeed phenomenal on this one. And even without Gary's performance, this would still be a worthy watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review Frank P Excellent Movie. There are minor tweaks to the actual history but the overall fear of being alone to face the Nazi invasion is incredibly accurate. The acting is phenomenal along with the attention to detail in sets. Indeed, there's almost universal acclaim for Oldman's depiction of Churchill. Director is to be compleminted for telling an important story but at the same time keeping it fast-paced and interesting. This is one of the great movies of the 21st Century. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/30/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Darkest Hour

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Conquer We Must, Conquer We Shall Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Conquer We Must, Conquer We Shall 2:59 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat 4:06 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - We Shall Fight on the Beaches Darkest Hour: Official Clip - We Shall Fight on the Beaches 4:45 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Churchill & Roosevelt Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Churchill & Roosevelt 2:59 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - The People of England Darkest Hour: Official Clip - The People of England 3:12 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Death Before Disarmament Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Death Before Disarmament 3:26 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Saving Dunkirk Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Saving Dunkirk 3:00 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - The Campaign of Resistance Darkest Hour: Official Clip - The Campaign of Resistance 3:16 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Subterfuge in the Bunker Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Subterfuge in the Bunker 2:46 Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Up Your Bum Darkest Hour: Official Clip - Up Your Bum 1:49 View more videos
Victoria & Abdul 65% 68% Victoria & Abdul Watchlist TRAILER for Victoria & Abdul Unbroken 52% 70% Unbroken Watchlist Testament of Youth 84% 78% Testament of Youth Watchlist Radioactive 63% 43% Radioactive Watchlist TRAILER for Radioactive Benediction 92% 65% Benediction Watchlist TRAILER for Benediction Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

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)
Most Popular at Home Now