Screamers
Maya Releasing | Release Date: December 8, 2006 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
55
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
7
Mixed:
7
Negative:
1

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
The Armenian-American quartet have taken it upon themselves to teach their fans about what happened to their families in that now-forgotten time, a deeply personal mission that has proven effective in politicizing their audiences. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Fans are, obviously, most likely to appreciate the concert footage that's woven throughout the film. But the most powerful moments come offstage, when we see young audience members burn with the fresh outrage of the newly enlightened. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
The film offers true insight into the patterns of war crimes, even if the songs sound disquietingly close to a call to violence. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyLuke Y. Thompson
So many documentaries about genocides play art-house theaters that it can be easy to get jaded, but combining one with tour footage from the most innovative metal band in the world is genius, banging the viewer's head before he realizes it's being filled with awareness too. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesMichael Ordona
The piece is intelligently made, although the director often doesn't establish place or time, leaving the viewer unmoored. Read full review
70
Washington PostRichard Leiby
The film paraphrases a quote from Hitler before he invaded Poland in 1939 (a quote still in hot dispute): "Who still speaks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?" This documentary does. Whatever its flaws, that alone makes it worth seeing. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
This film has provocations to spare; it just hasn't been made provocatively. It's a mess, actually. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterRichard James Havis
A committed piece of agit-prop, which benefits from the passion of its protagonists. Followers of the band will need no introduction to the subject matter, which is referenced in their musical repertoire. The film also should play well with those interested in liberal causes. Read full review
60
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
Part rockumentary, part howl of outrage, Screamers would have benefited from less concert film and more historical background. Read full review
50
VarietyPeter Debruge
A noble cause does not a good movie make. Pic repeatedly drowns its impassioned message with music, creating an awkward hybrid between history lesson and concert documentary. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
The band is sincere, and many of its followers are just as sincere, but there's always a danger that too much "screaming" can turn a meaningful statement into an inarticulate din. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
A commendably brave piece, but less focused and powerful than you'd like. In the end, Garapedian might have been better off concentrating her energy on the 1915 Armenian story--which has been told on film various times (for example, in "Forty Days of Musa Dagh" and Atom Egoyan's "Ararat"), but never with the power of, say, "The Pianist" or "Schindler's List." Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderPeter Margasak
Most of the screen time goes to American-Armenian hard rock band System of a Down, whose grating concert footage trivializes Garapedian's message. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Stephen Cole
If this sounds intriguing, we should add that System of a Down is a lousy live band. And director Garapedian, for all her public-minded zeal, isn't capable of corralling her interviews and opinions into a coherent polemic. Read full review
12
New York PostKyle Smith
Screamers, one of the most bizarre documentaries you'll ever not see. Read full review
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