Rent Darkest Hour (2017)
3.6 of 5 from 1456 ratings
2h 0min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- As Hitler's forces storm across the European landscape and close in on the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) is elected the new Prime Minister. With his party questioning his every move, and King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn) sceptical of his new political leader, it is up to Churchill to lead his nation and protect them from the most dangerous threat ever seen.
- Actors:
- Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Stephen Dillane, Nicholas Jones, Samuel West, David Schofield, Richard Lumsden, Malcolm Storry, Hilton McRae, Benjamin Whitrow, Joe Armstrong, Adrian Rawlins, David Bamber, Paul Leonard, David Strathairn, Eric MacLennan, Philip Martin Brown
- Directors:
- Joe Wright
- Producers:
- Tim Bevan, Lisa Bruce, Eric Fellner, Anthony McCarten, Douglas Urbanski
- Voiced By:
- David Strathairn
- Writers:
- Anthony McCarten
- Others:
- Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten, Douglas Urbanski, Jacqueline Durran, Dario Marianelli, Bruno Delbonnel, Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer, Ivana Primorac, Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick
- Studio:
- Universal Pictures
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Drama
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch Next If You Liked: Prick Up Your Ears, 2018, 2019, Acting Up: British Actors at the Oscars, Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2023, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2024, British WWII Films: The Home Front and Europe, CinemaParadiso.co.uk Through Time, Drama Films & TV, Films to Watch If You Like..., Historical British Prime Ministers On Screen, WWII Films: Beaches, Oceans and Camps, WWII Films: The Battle of Britain & In the Air
- Awards:
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 04/06/2018
- Run Time:
- 125 minutes
- Languages:
- Anglicized English Audio Description, English Dolby Atmos, French Audio Description, French Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, Italian Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
- Subtitles:
- Arabic, Danish, Dutch, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Into 'Darkest Hour'
- Gary Oldman: Becoming Churchill
- Feature Commentary with Director Joe Wright
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 04/06/2018
- Run Time:
- 125 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Atmos, French Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
- Subtitles:
- Danish, Dutch, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, French, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
- DVD Regions:
- Region 2
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
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Reviews (20) of Darkest Hour
A towering portrayal of national hero Churchill when Britain stood alone against Hitler + Fascism - Darkest Hour review by PV
Gary Oldman's portrayal of Churchill superb and fully deserving of an Oscar (despite his disadvantage of being a white man in today's poc Hollywood) - however, I noticed in one dialogue he drifts into and out of Cockney when he says 'for our boys' in pure Sarf London. Most people won't notice that, but I am from near London so do!
I also doubt VERY much that Churchill would have said 'off of' rather than 'off' - he was very particular re the English language!
I also know King George VI would not have pronounced 'Adolf' in the American way - ade-olf - but would have said add-olf as we do over here.
The king's role and power is exaggerated because that is what Americans and an international audience is interested in - it was in fact Clement Atlee who as deputy PM of a national govt had far more power and say. The entire plot re Halifax, Chamberlain and the king planning peace tales is overstated massively too.
I do not believe for a minute scenes of Churchill chatting to people on a tube - especially as one is black Jamaican and no comment is made about that fact. It's a shame how pc tokenism can ruin a film.
So, 4 stars not 5. This is way better than the modern Dunkirk - I would recommend watching the 1950s film about that starring Kenneth Moore actually - and then the wonderful early 70s film Battle of Britain which begins where this film ends.
Anyway, enjoyable but occasionally annoying - and a towering performance by Gary Oldman who has been my favourite actor since Prick up your Ears in the late 80s! And no matter what your political affiliation (and Churchill was both Tory and Liberal in his time, and was MP for Dundee, somewhat improbably), you have to accept that he was the right man at the right time, and if it wasn't for him and the British people, Europe and the world would be a very different place.
And remember, in 1940, the USA was not in the war and wasn't actively helping us (quite the reverse - Joe Kennedy father of JFK said Britain is finished so the US should make peace with Hitler) and Stalin and the Soviets also had a deal with Hitler. So Britain and its colonies stood alone and saved the world. Never forget it.
10 out of 12 members found this review helpful.
Historically inaccurate AND boring - Darkest Hour review by LB
I very much doubt the accuracy of this film and I think the role played by the King to be a joke. We all know that the Royal family have always been more interested in preserving their own lifestle than safeguarding the British people. I also think that the scenes in the London subway must be the figment of a very gullible or naive writer.
The acting was brilliant but the film was disappointing and so so so BORING.
4 out of 7 members found this review helpful.
We stood alone - Darkest Hour review by JD
Excellent film,
with Gary Oldman superb as Churchill and a worthy Oscar winner.
In fact the whole cast is terrific and the somber sets/locations convey just how serious the time was , not only for the UK, but for the whole world.
Just imagine if we had given in ?
The fact that we fought alone ( with the Commonwealth) and without America for the first two years, is something that will always mean that the British can stand with their heads held high.
I can not recommend this movie enough, excellent.
2 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Critic review
Darkest Hour review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso
Gary Oldman’s portrayal of Winston Churchill is not only one of the best depictions of the historical figure but perhaps the best role of Oldman’s entire acting career. Just look at him with that weight in his throat, the waddle in his step, the mumbling in his lips and the creative wheels churning in his mind. It’s such a fantastic performance that director Joe Wright zooms in close to his subject, showcasing every detail to ensure the audience that Oldman has disappeared entirely into this role. It’s a magnificent centerpiece of a historical film that breathes life and electricity into material that could have been stuffy and dull.
The film follows Churchill’s most crucial period of his political career from being offered the position as the new Prime Minister to making the tough call of going to war. This is a man who seems to never stop, greeting the day with a lit cigar and a new note to be taken by his new secretary (Lily James). He takes his job very seriously, demanding double-spaced type and that everyone keep up with his conversations that run so long they lead into the bathroom. But there’s also a more human side to him the way he can lovingly joke with his wife and have a laugh at his own expense. He seems so sure of himself that it’s no wonder his political party chooses him to lead during the most crucial time for the country. But when it comes time to make the big decisions about the direction of a war that has already brought about many dead soldiers, the doubt begins to fester, tearing a cantankerous and charming old man into a blubbering mess of fear.
A common complaint about the picture may be that it focuses too much on Churchill and not much of anyone else. There are awkward meetings between Churchill and King George (Ben Mendelsohn) but they are spaced out greatly. There is a bitter rivalry with Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane), but only for the required tension in political discussions. Churchill’s wife (Kristin Scott Thomas) exists mostly to pull Churchill back from the void of depression and his secretary brings a real face to the plight of England’s people. The movie tries to juggle all these characters as much as Churchill tries to keep his own life a constant act of plate spinning.
Also kept spinning are the events during this time, presented quickly and to-the-point. There is plenty of talk about the war, but this is reduced to a handful of brief scenes for bombings, boats and wounded soldiers. It may be considered frustrating that the war doesn’t become a prime focus for the footage, but this isn’t that type of film. If you want more on the evacuation of Dunkirk that Churchill ordered, watch this year’s stellar war picture of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. In fact, both films would make for a keen double-feature, Dunkirk presenting the grit of the war and The Darkest Hour the political side.
Yes, this biggest draw of the picture is Gary Oldman’s flawless performance, but rightly so. Every moment he’s on screen is mesmerizing from the subtlest quivering of his lips to his waddling around with either a drink in his hand or a cigar in his mouth. Joe Wright’s direction keeps the film tight and focused, never fearing too far off course for other arcs or subplots. The days tick by with title cards that move like a well-maintained clock, chunking away the days with a brisk tone. The cinematography is stunning, portraying the house of commons like a grand opera house with its towering shots. In terms of movies for the history class, The Darkest Hour is one of the finest of the lot, breathing with life and buzzing with electricity for one of the most important figures in British history. I doubt I’ll ever see a portrayal of Churchill as rich and defined as Oldman’s and I doubt I’ll ever see a more perfect role for such an accomplished actor.