Max Manus 2008

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: A polished and large-scale production with some rousing action sequences, the movie is certainly watchable, though no one's going to call this exciting filmmaking. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: Has an old-fashioned sincerity that entertains without engaging. Read more

Nick Schager, Time Out: Basically a slice of formulaic Hollywood-style mythmaking, writ large and woefully empty. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: The destruction in Max Manus is elaborately staged by co-directors Espen Sandberg and Joachim Roenning... Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: The film celebrates Max's fierce patriotism, but doesn't blink at the toll his heroics took. Read more

Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail: The film exhibits another flaw common to film biographies: Directors Espen Sandberg and Joachim Roenning seem more interested in making a shrine to (as opposed to a biography of) their war hero. Read more

Jason Anderson, Toronto Star: The movie feels overly familiar even though the real-life story it tells is little known outside of Norway... Read more

David Jenkins, Time Out: Though not without its moments, this latest tale of wartime derring-do rarely dares to enter uncharted territory. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: An epic by Scandinavian standards, Manus's period re-creation is lavish-but the too-polished rental decor doesn't create a living past. Read more