Hard to Be a God

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Thomas S A film that has haunted me ever since I first saw it about ten years ago. Watching it feels like stepping into a world that is wet, foul, ugly, and utterly devoid of hope—you can almost smell it through the screen. It's a visceral experience, not just visually but physically oppressive. What stays with you isn’t just the grime or the chaos, but the way the film strips death of all its ceremonial veils. There's no dignity, no peace—just raw, brutal decay. It's an unrelenting vision of humanity at its most feral, and a powerful meditation on how little separates so-called civilization from absolute barbarism. Not for the faint of heart, but absolutely unforgettable. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/24/25 Full Review nina n Like all films that are lived-in, you won't come out unscathed. Read the book. Please do. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/21/25 Full Review S R My brother recommended it for its uniqueness and unique it was. It was so medieval and painfully frustrating, but it still had some crazy staged choreographed scenes. Did I enjoy it? Not especially, but it deserves respect for its ambitious sci-fi plot. It took guts to make and to take a box office bomb. RUS. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review Frisian W Absolutely amazing. I really like the unique hypnotic and otherworldly vibe. I watch the trailer often to relive this feeling. A very creepy planet that I'm happy not to live on. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/17/23 Full Review Honest D One of the most intense experiences of my life. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/23/23 Full Review tink l 3 hours of my life I will never get back. Sure, the camera work is great, black & white sets an interesting mood, the changes from normal acting to 4th wall breaks have their merits. Yes, the middle ages were dark and nasty. Had it been 5-10 minutes it might have made for a great short. But flogging the gross, decaying, dead horse covered in sh*it and vomit for 3 hours was just unbearable. I watched this at a movie theatre (during a film festival, so people would be a bit more open to unusual experiences, you'd think). But after an hour more than half the audience had left. The people I went with found refuge in sleep... Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Hard to Be a God

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