Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- melancholic
- surreal
- sincere
- christmas viewing
- reflective movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as beautifully photographed, sensitively acted, morally serious, and unusually humane for a World War II film.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The American squad and German platoon share a Christmas celebration and attempt to arrange a surrender rather than continue killing.
The snowy Ardennes landscapes and ironic, surreal treatment turn the Battle of the Bulge into a morally charged fable.
The soldiers’ desire to avoid pointless death and the collapse of their mock surrender expose war’s stupidity and injustice.
The isolated patrols are repeatedly framed within wintry sylvan landscapes in the Ardennes forest.
Films like A Midnight Clear, and why
Joyeux Noël
shared anti-war drama, moral seriousness, and humanizing encounter between opposing soldiers
The Thin Red Line
shared World War II setting, compassionate treatment of enemy combatants, and bittersweet holiday atmosphere
Castle Keep
shared winter wartime setting, surreal undertones, and critique of military absurdity
The Great Surrender
shared intimate ensemble drama, Christmas setting, and conflict between compassion and military duty
Movie Details
- Director
- Keith Gordon
- Release Date
- 1992-04-24
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (131)
Cast
- Peter Berg
- Kevin Dillon
- Arye Gross
- Ethan Hawke
- Gary Sinise
- Frank Whaley
- John C. McGinley
- Larry Joshua
- David Jensen
- Curt Lowens
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Midnight Clear about?
- In the snowy Ardennes, an American patrol and a surrender-minded German platoon discover a fragile Christmas truce before war reasserts its brutal logic.
- What is A Midnight Clear like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Midnight Clear as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is A Midnight Clear violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in A Midnight Clear as moderate.
- What did critics think of A Midnight Clear?
- Critics broadly praised the film as beautifully photographed, sensitively acted, morally serious, and unusually humane for a World War II film.
- Which films are like A Midnight Clear?
- Films with a similar feel include Joyeux Noël, The Thin Red Line, Castle Keep, and The Great Surrender.
- How long is A Midnight Clear?
- A Midnight Clear runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Midnight Clear?
- In United States, A Midnight Clear streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
