Champs
Amplify | Release Date: March 13, 2015 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
59
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
7
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
The PlaylistKevin JagernauthFeb 23, 2015
Tracking the rise of each fighter, Champs underscores the incredible skill, talent and fortitude each had on their way to the top, however it never shies away from pointing out the systemic failures that let them down. Read full review
80
Film ThreatAlan NgMar 26, 2019
Champs tells a rags-to-riches story set in the brutal landscape of boxing and sports entertainment. You’ll find inspiration from the stories of its three subjects and make you think again about the gladiatorial game and business, we know as boxing. Read full review
80
Time OutKeith UhlichMar 16, 2015
It really packs a punch (bet you saw that one coming). Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeFeb 23, 2015
Bert Marcus offers more sociology than boxing fans may expect, using mean-streets origin stories not just for biographical intrigue but to comment on hardships his subjects faced later in life. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubJosh ModellMar 12, 2015
As a documentary, Champs feels a bit punch-drunk — weaving from one idea to the next while never quite zoning in on any particular target for too long. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonMar 13, 2015
Champs is a documentary that wants to say something sociological about the sweet science of boxing. In this regard, it has an undeniable power. Read full review
63
Movie NationRoger MooreMar 10, 2015
The sport is surveyed and discussed as the historic route of the underclasses to change their station in life. Read full review
60
VarietyEddie CockrellMar 18, 2015
Director Bert Marcus’ Champs is the moviegoing opposite of a prize fight, a slick but not particularly stylish documentary that actually becomes more focused and energized in the late rounds. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleMar 12, 2015
Champs is all over the place and at times too polished for its own good — too many celebrity fan testimonials when more insider insights would have helped. But it comes from a place of caring for an oft-maligned sport. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierMar 12, 2015
Often it’s the fighters themselves who best sum up the appeal of “the sweet science.” Read full review
50
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerMar 12, 2015
Now and then this documentary by Bert Marcus rises above mere promotion, leaving you wishing it had tackled the sport’s difficult questions in more depth. Read full review
50
The DissolveScott TobiasMar 11, 2015
Champs dances around the ring when it should be punching. Read full review
50
Village VoiceMichael NordineMar 10, 2015
There's nothing especially new or vital to these familiar scenes; ditto a late excursion into the realm of concussions — undoubtedly an epidemic for athletes of all stripes, but one that further muddles an already unfocused film. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineNick SchagerFeb 23, 2015
An unfocused mishmash that thrives only when it fixates on footage of actual bouts. Read full review
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