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The Covenant

The 100 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant

2023

Guy Ritchie

Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Antony Starr, Alexander Ludwig ...

6.7

10,821

War. Action. Thriller Followed by Sergeant John, who on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan is teamed with local interpreter Ahmed, who risks his own life to carry an injured John across miles of grueling terrain to safety.

	Author	Review
United States	Siddhant Adlakha IndieWire	"Ritchie’s entry into the genre breathes stylistic life and bombast into what hasn’t felt like a cinematic event in over a decade"	POS
United States	David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter	"Gyllenhaal and Iraq-born Danish actor Salim are well matched in what’s at heart a two-man show, resulting in a solid, satisfying war thriller that spreads its attention evenly between hellish combat and resilient humanity"	POS
United States	Dex Wesley Parra Austin Chronicle	"Time and time again, Ritchie proves to be an effective action director. When it comes to writing the picture, less so, and 'The Covenant' stands as another reminder of that sturdy dichotomy (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"	NEU
United States	Pete Hammond Deadline	"It about as exciting, gripping and moving as war films get -especially one set in the murky Afghanistan conflict in which the U.S. found itself immersed for more than two decades"	POS
United States	Michael O'Sullivan The Washington Post	"I never said 'The Covenant' wasn't manipulative. It is —skillfully, entertainingly and at times almost overbearingly so. But oh, boy, does it work (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"	POS
United States	Owen Gleiberman Variety	"The director gets serious — and ups his game — in a stirring Afghanistan war drama"	POS
United States	Mark Feeney Boston Globe	"Gyllenhaal uses that handsome-hangdog face of his to good effect. Salim is very good. If he weren't, the movie simply wouldn't work (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)"	NEU
Canada	Chris Bumbray JoBlo	"An absorbing, action-driven war movie with great performances form Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim"	POS
United States	Adam Graham Detroit News	"An oftentimes riveting war film which marks a new path for the 54-year-old filmmaker"	POS
United Kingdom	Tim Grierson Screendaily	"[It] shines a light on a grim reality but then uses it as an excuse for make-believe"	NEU
United States	Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle	"To Ritchie’s credit, he’s made a movie to be proud of (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"	POS
United Kingdom	Catherine Bray Empire	"They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but maybe they’re wrong: on this evidence, Guy Ritchie can absolutely learn how to make a Paul Greengrass film, delivering a handsome slice of serious war drama (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Cary Darling Houston Chronicle	"[It] moves with a breathless, propulsive momentum (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Murtada Elfadl AV Club	"Guy Ritchie fails to offer any new insights into an unpopular war or those who fought it (...) It's a film that seems afraid to offer any ideas about its setting and characters beyond the minimum"	NEG
Canada	Brittany Witherspoon Screen Rant	"'Guy Ritchie's The Covenant' is as sharp on deep human elements as it is with intensity, giving rise to a welcomed change in the director's repertoire (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	John Serba Decider	"[It] is a rock-solid modern-war thriller that keeps us locked in for two hours"	POS
United States	Witney Seibold SlashFilm	"For Ritchie, war is quite grand, and a great way for dudes to get to know each other. On that shallow level, I suppose it functions. Beyond that, it may disappoint"	NEU
United States	Dan Mecca The Film Stage	"Political in spurts, intense throughout, and incredibly well-performed"	POS
United States	Greg Nussen Slant	"It may genuinely care for the scores of interpreters left behind in Afghanistan, but without any other tangible critique of the war more broadly, it simply reveals its reactionary soul (...) Rating: ★½ (out of 4)"	NEG
United States	Matt Donato IGN	"[It] isn't Guy Ritchie's best, but standout performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim as bonded heroes save an otherwise bloated military thriller"	NEU
United States	Rodrigo Perez The Playlist	"It makes a knowing nod between two men one of the most moving moments on screen this year. More like this, Guy"	POS
United States	Johnny Oleksinski New York Post	"Gyllenhaal creates a compelling mix of machismo and sensitivity, though his guilt when Kinley returns to America is muddled (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)"	NEU
United States	Chase Hutchinson Collider	"Though both leads give blood and sweat to the film, the greatest challenge they have to fight to overcome is the lackluster story itself"	NEG
Canada	Mel Valentin Screen Anarchy	"It’s a more than welcome break from Ritchie’s usual in-your-face style and suggests that Ritchie, just months away from turning 55, has finally matured as a filmmaker"	POS

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