John Rabe
Strand Releasing | Release Date: May 21, 2010 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
10
Negative:
0
Watch Now
Buy on

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
MovielineStephanie Zacharek
Gallenberger tells Rabe’s story deftly, establishing essential elements of the man’s personality in subtle shorthand. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Drawn from Rabe's diaries, the film is rich in telling and ironic details. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
Thanks to Tukur, what we get here is still something: a stunning portrait of a good man caught in a widening inferno. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleAmy Biancolli
The acting is immaculate; the editing is seamless; the imagery is blunt. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
The 134-minute film jams in much information, incidents and characters without losing any entertainment value. And, fortunately, its heroism isn't pumped up or glorified. Read full review
60
Boxoffice MagazineSteve Ramos
Boasting impressive production values, engaging storytelling and a standout lead performance by German star Ulrich Tukur, John Rabe will receive enthusiastic word of mouth from select arthouse audiences. Read full review
60
Time OutStephen Garrett
Packs a forceful punch. Read full review
60
NPRMark Jenkins
Triumph seems the wrong note for a feature film about mass murder. Yet Gallenberger insists on an old-school historical melodrama, with the darkest of terrors leavened by humor, tenderness and even romance. It's only the terror that rings true. Read full review
60
The New YorkerDavid Denby
One of the main virtues of John Rabe is to demonstrate that, however much we know about the worst of all wars, it still has little-known corners that can amaze us. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
In spite of a subtle performance by Ulrich Tukur in the eponymous role, Gallenberger’s film feels labored and emotionally disengaged, an autumn-hued history lesson that’s as studiously reserved as its steel-spined subject. Read full review
50
VarietyDerek Elley
Despite the emotive subject matter, picture is often too sluggish dramatically, and never knits together its stock Western characters into a satisfying whole. Read full review
50
Village VoiceEric Hynes
It's a remarkable story, and filmmaker Florian Gallenberger does his best to shade his portrait with complications and mitigations. But for a story not often told, John Rabe feels awfully familiar. Read full review
50
The New York TimesStephen Holden
John Rabe, has its visceral moments. But it is also burdened by manipulative clichés of a screenplay in which exposition outweighs character development. Inspired by Rabe’s diaries, from which short excerpts are read, it tells the story almost exclusively from a Western point of view. Read full review
50
New York PostV.A. Musetto
The fine supporting cast includes Steve Buscemi, as a cynical American doctor who at first doesn't get along with Rabe; and Anne Consigny, as the French head of a local school for Chinese girls. Read full review
40
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
Proudly matter-of-fact but, sadly, far from gripping. Read full review
More From This Movie

57 Critic Reviews

7.8 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL