Anthropoid

Name: Anthropoid
Genre: Biography, History, Thriller, War
Released: August 12, 2016
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 59

2016

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 70 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 70 Ratings

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Anthropoid

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Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street Media | Release Date: August 12, 2016 | R

Summary: Anthropoid is based on the extraordinary true story of "Operation Anthropoid," the code name for the Czechoslovakian operatives' mission to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich. Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution, was the Reich's third in command behind Hitler and Himmler and the leader of Nazi forces inAnthropoid is based on the extraordinary true story of "Operation Anthropoid," the code name for the Czechoslovakian operatives' mission to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich. Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution, was the Reich's third in command behind Hitler and Himmler and the leader of Nazi forces in Czechoslovakia. The film follows two soldiers from the Czechoslovakian army-in-exile, Josef Gabčík (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubis (Jamie Dornan), who are parachuted into their occupied homeland in December 1941. With limited intelligence and little equipment in a city under lock down, they must find a way to assassinate Heydrich, an operation that would change the face of Europe forever.… Expand

Director: Sean Ellis

Genre(s): Biography, History, Thriller, War

Rating: R

Runtime: 120 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Christopher Kompanek

Aug 11, 2016

Aided by co-screenwriter Anthony Frewin, Ellis takes his time in this slow-burning thriller, which often feels more like a character study. Read full review

Oleg Ivanov

Aug 5, 2016

Director Sean Ellis's film offers a potent examination of the moral rectitude of resistance. Read full review

Time Out London David Clack

Sep 5, 2016

Thankfully, the film’s final third over-delivers massively. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Aug 10, 2016

Dramatically, it’s not much of a movie, but if you just want to know how things went down, it’s certainly a more exciting précis than Wikipedia’s. Read full review

Matt Glasby

Jan 21, 2017

Ellis has a real flair for action – the assassination scene is heart-stopping – but patchy accents, strange pacing and an overstretched budget nearly scupper proceedings. Read full review

Sheri Linden

Aug 11, 2016

The movie both embraces and questions the romance of heroism, a provocative paradox that would have had more dramatic oomph if the screenplay were less staid, the characters more fully fleshed. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Aug 11, 2016

A bad movie with a good title. Read full review

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User Reviews

Rebecca31

Sep 19, 2016

Based on the real events surrounding the WWII mission to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich. Starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan. Leaves you speechless, from the very moment it starts it grips you and drags you through a highly suspenseful and distressing journey. A trulyBased on the real events surrounding the WWII mission to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich. Starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan. Leaves you speechless, from the very moment it starts it grips you and drags you through a highly suspenseful and distressing journey. A truly breathtaking movie. Strongly recommended, without a doubt one of the easiest 10's I ever gave.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

ptalleyrn

Aug 20, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I normally don't like films from this genre, but a friend wanted me to join him. I was enthralled with the movie; to actually see the emotional toil on the people who were fighting undercover, knowing they could be discovered at any time.

It felt very raw and real to me to see their courage when faced with the knowledge that they would probably die within days. Yet, that didn't deter them from their mission. I read reviews where the critic was scornful because of one of the men's hesitance and fear, stating he (the critic) would have liked to push the guy aside and pull the trigger himself. But, this isn't a cowboy-shoot-um-up all guns blazing movie. This is about real people and the horror of the world they were facing.

Another reviewer was angered by the violence at the end. Horribly, that was the truth of the story that needed to be told. I was very impressed with everyone involved in this movie. The actors were wonderful, and the era was portrayed with as much accuracy as possible.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

MovieGuys

Aug 22, 2016

Anthropoid is a very complex and stunning drama that doesn't relent for a minute. The performances by Murphy and Dornan are surprisingly deep and emotional, and the movie benefits from a straightforward story and no gloss or unnecessary storyline. Mostly unknown director Sean Ellis has potential.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

Spangle

Jan 7, 2017

A lovingly shot, but cliched historical action thriller, Anthropoid is an above average film. Telling the true story about the men responsible for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, third-in-command for the Nazis, the film is clearly powerful. An undertold story of the strength of theA lovingly shot, but cliched historical action thriller, Anthropoid is an above average film. Telling the true story about the men responsible for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, third-in-command for the Nazis, the film is clearly powerful. An undertold story of the strength of the Czechoslovakian resistance and an obviously important moment in World War II, Operation Anthropoid receives its due regards in this film from director Sean Ellis. Unfortunately, it is a mixed bag. While it has terrific cinematography, good acting, and a tremendous assassination, the latter comes too early and the film loses steam. Of course, the cliched beginning with a love triangle and the cliched WWII action sequence at the end also hinder the game. That said, the assassination is so damn good.

Starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan as the men responsible for the assassination, Anthropoid's greatest asset is the assassination sequence. As most people should know (I ashamedly did not), they were successful to a degree. It is likely that Sean Ellis assumed building up to such a well known event would not be suspenseful enough. However, he is shown to be wrong. In the first half of this film, the build up, the planning, and the anxiety of the situation are terrifically captured. The following nervy, thrilling, and suspenseful assassination is tremendously captured. Ellis' camera makes the occasion incredibly intimate with a cloud of smoke billowing out of the area in the aftermath. The intensity of the lead up and the panic of the moments directly after is incredibly effective in setting the moment and capturing it with beautiful images and a tremendous action sequence. Rather than playing into cliches here, the film sets it apart with a unique, intense, and unexpected moment of brilliance. It also makes me want to see Jamie Dornan in a neo-noir film set in the 1940s. The suit and fedora look is just so right for him.

The other strength of this film is the cinematography and production design. Shot through a sepia filter, the film looks old school and, in conjunction with the sets and locations, looks and feels authentic. Anthropoid really captures 1942 Czechoslovakia and turns it into a beautiful painting. To bolster this, Ellis sprinkles in some absolutely gorgeous shots. These include shots of the sun spilling through the sees in a forest and an aerial shot a bridge in Prague and sun reflecting off the water and the rays going under the bridge. With these shots and the general aesthetic under its belt, WWII Czechoslovakia has never looked so good and Ellis makes sure to capture this beauty.

Unfortunately, its love triangle and cliched second half derail the film. With boring scenes of torture and a lackluster finale shootout in a church, Anthropoid turns into nothing more than a run-of-the-mill action thriller. The power that this really happened does not help as numerous true stories have shown the exact same action. This bad ending is proof that the assassination came too soon. It should have been the climax instead. The film would have been more detailed and a lot slower for sure, but its ending would have been worthy of the heroism on display. It is the moment that sets its heroes apart. Instead of ending there, however, Ellis' film drags on for a cliched final hour that turns them into nothing more than soldiers in a World War II film. Their identities are forgotten with writing that failed to create worthwhile characters that are memorable. They may die in a hail of bullets, but the film was killed long before. Now, I should say that the action sequence is fine. It looks good and is pretty thrilling, but there are too many films with it that pretend to be WWII thrillers. This sea of bullets turns it into nothing more than a cliched film with no element to separate it from similar films.

Tremendously shot with a great assassination sequence, Anthropoid may be pretty, but it is nothing but above average. The ending is cliched, the characters underdeveloped, and the romance ill-advised. That said, the strengths of the film are so incredible, Anthropoid is impossible to look past.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

skeptic303

Sep 29, 2016

Anthropoid is about the people who attempted to carry out Operation Anthropoid, an operation that, if successful, would eliminate an officer of Hitler who was third in line.
I would like to say that's the plotline, but there's just one key catch: it's not interesting until nearly half-wayAnthropoid is about the people who attempted to carry out Operation Anthropoid, an operation that, if successful, would eliminate an officer of Hitler who was third in line.
I would like to say that's the plotline, but there's just one key catch: it's not interesting until nearly half-way in.
That's pretty much the only flaw in this movie, but it's still half of a movie. That first half is all set-up that takes way too long. Most of this set-up is entirely pointless and doesn't develop the characters. Aside from almost an hour of pointlessness, the characters aren't as deep or rich as they should be.
That being said, I enjoyed the action and the stand-off in the other half. They were well deserved and well-filmed. If anything, this movie is really only worth watching because of the action that puts Hollywood to shame. However, it gains nothing more than the seal of mediocrity for having too much exposition with too little payoff and kind-of flat characters.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

TVJerry

Aug 14, 2016

Although the title sounds like a futuristic sci-fi creature, it was actually the code name for Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi architect behind the Final Solution. This fact-based story follows 2 operatives (Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan) who are assigned to assassinate him in their nativeAlthough the title sounds like a futuristic sci-fi creature, it was actually the code name for Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi architect behind the Final Solution. This fact-based story follows 2 operatives (Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan) who are assigned to assassinate him in their native Czechoslovakia. Their mission plays out primarily thru whispers and furtive glances, but there are 2 mildly tense, but not especially gripping, encounters. The cinematography and design attractively create a period atmosphere and the actors are all fine. It's an interesting story and well told, but almost every scene goes on longer than necessary, especially some of the dramatic discussions.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

royphishooh

Nov 2, 2016

Another modern film spoiled by poor writing. When oh when will directors realise they are not screenwriters? Sean Ellis manages to turn what could have been a gripping story into a turgid melodrama. Heydrich's assassination is largely remembered for the disgusting aftermath where the GermansAnother modern film spoiled by poor writing. When oh when will directors realise they are not screenwriters? Sean Ellis manages to turn what could have been a gripping story into a turgid melodrama. Heydrich's assassination is largely remembered for the disgusting aftermath where the Germans massacred 15,000 Czechs in Lidice and Ležaky. That was barely alluded to in the film yet the director spent several minutes depicting the torture of individual resistance fighters. Little surprise that this poor film lost money at the boy office.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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