The Imitation Game

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: November 28, 2014

8.1	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 890 Ratings

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User Reviews

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googolendtimesDec 22, 2014

The Imitation Game's importance in raising belated awareness of an under-recognised war hero and major innovator cannot be ignored, yet its treatment of Turing is trite, over-simplified, clichéd and underwritten Oscar bait. BenedictThe Imitation Game's importance in raising belated awareness of an under-recognised war hero and major innovator cannot be ignored, yet its treatment of Turing is trite, over-simplified, clichéd and underwritten Oscar bait. Benedict Cumberbatch's performance is the film's only recommendable quality but even he, in all his electrifying prowess as an actor, cannot redeem the film's stark failure to do justice to its subject matter, a failure that even manages to overstep the mark so to be sacrilegious to Turing's memory and legacy with the inclusion of some falsified details in the last hour that are blatantly untrue and disrespectful to his legacy.… Expand

6 of 10 users found this helpful64

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StratmanSep 14, 2015

I work at Bletchley Park and when I asked my colleagues what they thought about this film they were all scathing. I watched the film with a notebook beside me and filled two A4 sides of notes with historical and technical inaccuracies!!I work at Bletchley Park and when I asked my colleagues what they thought about this film they were all scathing. I watched the film with a notebook beside me and filled two A4 sides of notes with historical and technical inaccuracies!!

Anybody who knows absolutely nothing about the wartime history BP and the history of Alan Turing, both at the Park and after he left, will - no doubt - find this a very entertaining film! Those who DO know the history of BP during the war, and the part played by Alan Turing, will find this film the biggest load of garbage ever - not to mention an insult to both Bletchley Park and Alan Turing!!

I'm not surprised that Benedict Cumberbatch was nominated for an Oscar but it was for his acting ability and certainly not for an accurate portayal of AT! Those who describe this film as: "Brilliant"; "Genius"; "Magnificent" etc etc, obviously know absolutely nothing about what REALLY went on at BP during the war and the part played by AT.

You mention the name "Bletchley Park" to most people and they think: "Enigma and Alan Turing"! This is wholly due to the blind promotionof the Park as being entirely the home of Enigma and Alan Turing! He was one of between 8,000 and 10,000 people who worked there and there were many people who contributed just as much as he did, if not more, that nobody has ever heard of!

For Instance: Col John Tiltman; Bill Tutte; Prof Max Newman; Major Ralph Tester; Tommy Flowers, Alan Coombs; Sid Broadhurst and many, many others. These were the people responsible for breaking the German Lorenz code, and making the machines that did it, that was used by Hitler and the High Command who did not want to use Enigma, but who has ever heard of these people? The forgotten genius's of Bletchley Park!

BP did NOT revolve aroung Enigma and Alan Turing but thanks to modern TV, films and the such like we are all led to believe that this is, in fact, the case.

If you visit Bletchley Park make sure you visit The National Museum of Computing that tells the entire story of Lorenz, Hitler and the High Command - it might surprise you!! That is the OTHER side of wartime codebreaking that very few people actually know about!… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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jakubukajJan 19, 2015

A shockingly dull rewrite of history, the only highpoint of which is Cumberbatch's above average performance. The script is sloppy, the narrative bloated and is literally brimming with falsehoods, inaccuracies and downright lies. If you knowA shockingly dull rewrite of history, the only highpoint of which is Cumberbatch's above average performance. The script is sloppy, the narrative bloated and is literally brimming with falsehoods, inaccuracies and downright lies. If you know anything at all about Turing or the history of Ultra, then this film will not fail to irritate. The exaggerated attention to detail in terms of wardrobe only exacerbates the director's complete disregard for historical accuracy, which is frankly bizarre given the fascinating real history that the film pretends to dramatize. Hysterical trash to make Daily Mail readers feel like Britain single-handedly won the war.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

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LowbrowCinemaDec 3, 2014

THE IMITATION GAME is a 'nice" movie. And that's it's core problem. This middle-brow entertainment makes WWII, misogyny, and homophobia digestible for an audience that clearly does not want to be challenged or believe the world can trulyTHE IMITATION GAME is a 'nice" movie. And that's it's core problem. This middle-brow entertainment makes WWII, misogyny, and homophobia digestible for an audience that clearly does not want to be challenged or believe the world can truly suck. The film feels like a network TV movie from the 1980s which would deal with adult issues all with a very pretty little bow and a post-script that would often indicate the opposite. In its last moments, THE IMITATION GAME, suddenly underscores the homosexuality of Alan Turing who is depicted as asexual throughout. So why the fuss? And then there is the plot driven AH-HAH moment when out of a simple convo the enigma code is broken! Isn't it time we stopped making films like this?… Expand

10 of 20 users found this helpful1010

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mrioJan 9, 2015

This movie is made of plastic, and builds on cliche to achieve perfect mediocrity. There is scarcely any content and history is a joke. The characterization of Turing is particularly pathetic.

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

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cloughjaSep 7, 2015

Terrible film about a fascinating subject. The plot contains many events that never actually happened to attempt to inject some drama. Why they didn't write a better plot and stick to the facts I don't know. I actually feel more stupid andTerrible film about a fascinating subject. The plot contains many events that never actually happened to attempt to inject some drama. Why they didn't write a better plot and stick to the facts I don't know. I actually feel more stupid and less informed after watching this film.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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FranzHcriticDec 30, 2014

Shameful propaganda that hides the fact that is was a Pole who orginally designed "Christopher", actually named "Bombe". Turing improved it, but didn't create it. Exaggerating the British people's work in solving the Enigma code is just oneShameful propaganda that hides the fact that is was a Pole who orginally designed "Christopher", actually named "Bombe". Turing improved it, but didn't create it. Exaggerating the British people's work in solving the Enigma code is just one of the reasons I can't stand this biography. It's riddled with inaccuracies and distortions for pure entertainment value. The worst part is hyperbolizes Turing's work, in an effort to show how important homosexuals are and how we are so blind to that fact. I don't care who agrees with me. This film is wrong. A decent cast, but wrong, nevertheless.… Expand

9 of 20 users found this helpful911

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PageWizardFeb 5, 2015

Any film that says "based on a true story" and uses the actual names of the people in that story should be less dishonest with the viewer. A very inaccurate piece that can easily deceive people to believe it's misinformation. As a computerAny film that says "based on a true story" and uses the actual names of the people in that story should be less dishonest with the viewer. A very inaccurate piece that can easily deceive people to believe it's misinformation. As a computer scientist that holds Turing's work to a high standard and is one of my heroes, I don't respect this film. I give it 1/10 only because the acting is great for what they're trying to portray, not for what should be portrayed.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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naptakerJan 7, 2015

If you like movies about autistic men who were chemically castrated for being gay in real life where they're given hetero love interests and played like a **** stereotype by an actor who looks like a bowl of oatmeal that somehow gainedIf you like movies about autistic men who were chemically castrated for being gay in real life where they're given hetero love interests and played like a **** stereotype by an actor who looks like a bowl of oatmeal that somehow gained sentience, this is the perfect film for you.… Expand

8 of 23 users found this helpful815

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KathrynlJan 7, 2015

Attended this movie with a friend based on recommendation from an actor we admire. Walked out early enough to get our tickets refunded and went to supper instead. Yes, the acting was probably good but the script was SO predictable. Any moreAttended this movie with a friend based on recommendation from an actor we admire. Walked out early enough to get our tickets refunded and went to supper instead. Yes, the acting was probably good but the script was SO predictable. Any more will be a spoiler alert.… Expand

7 of 22 users found this helpful715

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reklaw23Feb 6, 2015

Utter rubbish is very polite. Keira Knightley is hopeless as usual and Alan Turin was not a genius and neither did he have a basic understanding of logic . This film is nothing but propaganda about a pathetic waste of money and a failiure .Utter rubbish is very polite. Keira Knightley is hopeless as usual and Alan Turin was not a genius and neither did he have a basic understanding of logic . This film is nothing but propaganda about a pathetic waste of money and a failiure . Anyone with any maths or logic solving abilities would have applied a 650 year old principle. If Alan Turin had looked at the problem for what it was, the code could have been cracked with a widely available at the time piece of equipment very quickly sat on the toilet. Occams Razor is the most basic logic principle that any supposed mathmetician would have applied first but what do you expect from Cambridge or Oxford University other than lies and false claims. I wouldnt even watch a film on TV with Keira Knightley or anything associated with her or the Benedict dork in as I find them both very distasteful given that they are trying to make money out of glamourising a creepy failiure of a man whose ineptness cost people their lives and also cost a lot of money.… Expand

5 of 42 users found this helpful537

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Dostoyevsky3May 31, 2022

The film’s disjointed plot is further burdened by rushed character relationships that aren’t properly concluded, key plot conflicts that are introduced after an hour into the movie and have no consequences on the end result other than to moveThe film’s disjointed plot is further burdened by rushed character relationships that aren’t properly concluded, key plot conflicts that are introduced after an hour into the movie and have no consequences on the end result other than to move the film into unnecessary directions that thematically fill the mind with a void of emptiness. Imitation Game is a textbook definition of a worthless waste of your life.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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crimetmeSep 5, 2022

This is neither accurate retelling of Turing's story nor a gripping movie. A lot of info was rewritten/omitted, and for what? The Wikipedia article is a much more interesting read.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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