The Seventh Seal

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The Seventh Seal

1956

1h 36m

Drama

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

73 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.

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Critics Consensus

Narratively bold and visually striking, The Seventh Seal brought Ingmar Bergman to the world stage -- and remains every bit as compelling today.

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Jonas Mekas

Village Voice

04/20/2022

Obsessed with the ideas of love, life, death, good and evil, [Bergman] mediates as he goes, taking in symbols, in parables and images that are often of breathtaking beauty.

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Guardian

03/21/2018

You can hunt about in the history of the cinema and bring up a distant cousin or two for Bergman's great work. Yet, when all the delving is done, this film remains something quite distinct, a wonderful film which is not quite like any other.

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Elliott Stein

Village Voice

07/23/2013

Bergman's visually striking medieval morality play [was] the work that gained him an international reputation.

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Claire Fulton

Loud and Clear Reviews

11/07/2024

5/5

It’s a masterpiece of filmmaking from a master of the profession, and remains an impactful viewing experience even if you can’t tell a knight from a rook.

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

01/23/2024

Like many of his greatest works, Bergman uses The Seventh Seal as an existentialist vehicle, exploring a landscape where God may have turned his back on humanity, leading to disillusionment, conflict and destruction.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

12/13/2023

8/10

A formidable film in which Bergman, with symbols and metaphors, builds a philosophical treatise that points out the impossibility of man to defeat death. [Full review in Spanish]

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Feb 12

Beneath its expected magnum opus and existential compel, Bergman’s thematic integrity thrives in poetic limbo and scenic symbolism regarding life’s religions artistically expressed and performatively helmed. (B+)

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Joe A.

@JosephAndor Jan 28

Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” tackles the only inevitable, death. There are a lot of pros to this film and mostly one con. The con for me is say is that it takes a bit to get used to the tone, for some this is jarring but for me this shows how rich Ingmars tones and themes are as they are a mood to one specific story. For the pros, the framing is so well done, I enjoy all the shots and the way the black and white coloring is used to cast and portray emotions is very well executed and shown. This is a really deep film with a deep complexity you don’t see in most. And the ending is a phenomenal way to finish a film with the climax being such a powerful scene as death enters the home, showing what I interpret as Ingmar showing us that death is inescapable and that we should accept it. And the ending scene. The character “Jor” tells another vision, something specific to his character set up right from the first act. Just an incredible movie that is unforgettable and will stick with you for a very long time. -Jospeh Andor.

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a z

@trekkie1970 Jan 20

Movies this good cannot be made anymore, at least not by Hollywood.

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Diana S

@DianaWho Sep 15

It trips me out that a movie that reimagines Jesus as a woman came out in 1957!! The Swedish have always been ahead of their time, man. This is a movie you could almost see today in the American indie market. Totally recommend!

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Ari V

@RT59419633 Sep 12

Not without some interesting and even funny moments, but seemed like some undercooked, fragmented, meandering philosophy for the most part.

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Max W

@RT65350549 Jun 24

Almost a surreal experience watching this. The dialogue is gripping and the filmography stunning.

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Ingmar Bergman

Director

Max von Sydow

Antonius Block

Gunnar Björnstrand

Jöns, squire

Nils Poppe

Jof

Bibi Andersson

Mia, Jof's wife

Bengt Ekerot

Death

Monika

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Synopsis

When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.

Director: Ingmar Bergman
Producer: Allan Ekelund
Screenwriter: Ingmar Bergman
Distributor: Janus Films, Criterion Collection, Embassy Pictures
Production Co: Svensk Filmindustri
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Original Language: Swedish
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2011
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Mono

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