Do Not Resist
| Release Date: September 30, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
4
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
The PlaylistAndrew CrumpOct 1, 2016
If Atkinson’s presentation is just a hair above “competent,” it does the job of exposing the corroded heart of American policing. Read full review
83
IndieWireEric KohnSep 29, 2016
It’s a sober account of police militarization in the 21st century that, no matter one’s stance on the matter, makes a brutal statement. Read full review
80
TheWrapSam FragosoOct 5, 2016
It’s not groundbreaking cinema, but Do Not Resist effectively begins (and furthers) this ongoing conversation about the escalating police state, racial profiling, and beyond. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeSep 29, 2016
An assured doc debut that knows how to stand out in a crowded field, Craig Atkinson's Do Not Resist avoids the handwringing format of other (very welcome) examinations of 21st-century American policing, offering instead something like a despairing tone poem. Read full review
75
Washington PostStephanie MerryOct 13, 2016
Even without the guidance of narration or a single story arc, it becomes clearer and clearer that the war on terror has unwittingly spawned another war: between police officers trained to fight like soldiers and the people they’ve sworn to protect. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzSep 30, 2016
A furious and often terrifying documentary about the militarization of US police. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineJesse CataldoSep 25, 2016
Director Craig Atkinson's documentary explicates its points with blunt but persuasive efficiency. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesMichael RechtshaffenOct 13, 2016
The parameters of homeland security are chillingly assessed in Do Not Resist, a troubling documentary examining the escalating militarization of the nation’s police forces. Read full review
70
Village VoiceDiana ClarkeOct 5, 2016
Do Not Resist is an order to the viewer: watch. Read full review
70
VarietyJay WeissbergSep 29, 2016
The doc is stylistically uninspiring, with a tedious threatening sound design, but the powerful subject matter largely overcomes such missteps. Read full review
60
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerSep 29, 2016
The film doesn’t unearth anything that hasn’t already been voiced, and it could use more details on the scope of the phenomenon. But with more police shootings in the headlines just in the past few days, it’s nothing if not timely. Read full review
58
The Film StageJohn FinkSep 29, 2016
Do Not Resist attempts to present a fair inquiry of police’s use of force. The issue itself is fraught with conflict and, unfortunately, the interest of immediacy of the conversation seems to trump thorough journalism. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Barry HertzNov 10, 2016
While Atkinson’s intentions are good, his methods are shaky, resulting in a surface-skimming film that raises issues without ever approaching a solution. What’s worse is his shaky narrative framing and rookie pacing, all of which undermine what is a deadly serious issue deserving of a polished and powerful dissection. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoOct 20, 2016
Do Not Resist amounts to little more than a grab bag. Viewers looking for depth will have to find it elsewhere. Read full review
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