Men Go to Battle
Film Movement | Release Date: July 8, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
3
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
VarietyNick SchagerJul 7, 2016
Striking in its evocation of a demanding time and place, this intimate drama about individual and national transformation heralds the arrival of an arresting new filmmaking voice. Read full review
90
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlJul 6, 2016
This isn't a film about the Civil War; it's about the minds of white folks so removed from plantation life that they feel they have no stake in it at all. It's not about back then — it's about being. Read full review
90
The New YorkerRichard BrodyMar 14, 2016
The glaring absence of political chatter doesn’t mar Treitz’s achievement: he has made an instant-classic Western. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyJoe McGovernJul 7, 2016
The shaggy, semi-focused but assuredly offbeat debut film from Zachary Treitz (co-written with House of Cards actress Kate Lyn Sheil) blends the Civil War with Mumblecore for one of the year’s most authentic trips in the way-back machine. Read full review
83
The PlaylistNikola GrozdanovicMar 14, 2016
It’s a profoundly vague piece of filmmaking that hides an undeniable magnetism beneath its bare-boned narrative. Read full review
80
The New York TimesGlenn KennyJul 7, 2016
The filmmakers’ bold pushback against the rigid formality of the genre they draw upon doesn’t always deliver. With the exception of Ms. Korine, the performers often seem to have a hard time shaking off the aura of the contemporary. Nevertheless, there’s much of value here. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyJul 7, 2016
A big part of the appeal of Men Go To Battle lies in its poky sense of humor, which recalls regional filmmaking gems like "The Whole Shootin’ Match" in the early going. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleJul 14, 2016
Men Go to Battle isn’t always effective, in that way DIY filmmaking sometimes irritates by deliberately avoiding “moments.” But as an offbeat lens through which to view an oft-mined era, it has a quiet pull. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeMar 14, 2016
Minimalist in terms of action and scope but attentive to the texture of what is onscreen. Read full review
67
The Film StageDaniel SchindelMar 14, 2016
Where many historical films are concerned with the movers and shakers of well-known events, Men Go to Battle is all about the micro view. It tells a story that happens to be set against a volatile backdrop, but is more about what it was like to live day-to-day in such a time. Read full review
63
The Seattle TimesTom KeoghMar 14, 2016
This modest film’s heart is really in the mysteries of small moments. Read full review
60
Time OutDavid EhrlichJul 7, 2016
The elliptical story of sibling despondency doesn’t quite hang together, though the groundswell of missed potential doesn’t come into focus until the film’s undeniably powerful closing moments. Read full review
50
Movie NationRoger MooreNov 7, 2020
The most interesting theme touched on is the different choices the siblings make — one, staying behind and the other opting for something like an adventure. But even that’s thinly developed. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineCarson LundJul 5, 2016
It's too texturally exacting in its recreation of a transitory moment in U.S. history to register as a failure. Read full review
38
RogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireJul 8, 2016
A more accurate title for the low-budget indie Civil War drama would be, “Man (Sing.) Goes to Battle. Eventually. Sort of. For a While. Then Leaves. Other Man Stays Home.” But to avoid that marquee-buster, here’s the concise version: “Mumblecore Civil War.” Read full review
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