Icarus
Netflix | Release Date: August 4, 2017 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
68
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
1
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Time OutJoshua RothkopfAug 4, 2017
Fogel is a little out of his depth, but he has a killer tale to tell. Read full review
80
CineVueMatthew AndersonAug 3, 2017
Its spontaneity and uncertain evolution are both gripping and slightly terrifying given that what becomes a quest for truth could just as likely see its subjects killed or imprisoned as set free. Read full review
80
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlAug 1, 2017
A real-life absurdist thriller that, in its electric coverage of one Russian scandal, can’t help but illuminate another ongoing one. Read full review
80
VarietyPeter DebrugeJan 21, 2017
Given all the attention on Russia in recent news coverage, Fogel’s Putin-centric approach will likely prove more effective than a deeper investigation into just how widespread such behavior is around the globe. But the greater takeaway is that the game itself is rigged, and the Russians only lost because they got caught. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreMar 6, 2018
The entire film, a most worthwhile enterprise in itself, drags on and becomes more patience-testing than incendiary. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoAug 4, 2017
It’s a movie that only begins as a commentary on doping in sports and becomes something greater about the dangers of being a whistleblower, especially when the whistle blows on Russia. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerAug 4, 2017
One aspect of this story that could have been more deeply underscored: The steroid use that ultimately banned so many Russian Olympians was not just about winning. It was about winning under threat of disgrace or death. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayAug 2, 2017
Bryan Fogel’s Netflix documentary Icarus tells such an eye-opening story that it almost doesn’t matter when the storytelling itself gets a little sloppy. Read full review
70
The New York TimesKen JaworowskiAug 3, 2017
Mr. Fogel could be considered either daring or foolhardy for his initial plan. But his work with Dr. Rodchenkov is levelheaded, and his documentary illuminating. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesGlenn WhippAug 3, 2017
Even if you’re familiar with the facts, Icarus casts the depth of deception with an immediacy that’s often astounding. Read full review
70
TheWrapRobert AbeleJan 21, 2017
Though the documentary’s early musings about athletic integrity in general are ultimately usurped by a tale of personal responsibility and nefarious global power, the disruption feels acute and essential. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyJan 21, 2017
While Icarus technically doesn't break any news, it certainly scores many points by showing a diabolical wizard so surprisingly laying his secrets on the table. Read full review
70
Screen DailyDavid D'ArcyJan 21, 2017
This film is proof that, with the right protagonist, a documentary seems to tell its own story. Rodchenkov is one of those characters who, as they say, you couldn’t make up. Read full review
67
IndieWireEric KohnJan 21, 2017
Fogel’s only other filmmaking credit, the romcom “Jewtopia,” doesn’t suggest the makings of a sophisticated nonfiction storyteller, and Icarus suffers from an imitative quality that’s hard to shake. Fortunately, Rodchenkov’s dilemma single-handedly keeps Icarus engaging throughout. Read full review
42
The Film StageDaniel SchindelAug 3, 2017
This is electric material for a story, but Fogel just gets shocked instead of channeling it into something great. Read full review
38
Slant MagazineClayton DillardJul 30, 2017
A routinely assembled mélange of provocative material consistently undone by its maker's perplexing need to foist himself into the center of every conversation. Read full review
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