Overview
In the face of tyranny, one leader must rise to the occasion and unite a nation.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- stirring
- formal
- historical film night
- political drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Gary Oldman's electrifying Churchill performance, Joe Wright's direction, and the film's forceful treatment of wartime rhetoric, while noting that its narrative can falter.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Churchill's speeches and arguments over peace or resistance form the film's central mechanism of leadership.
The narrative concentrates on Churchill's first weeks as prime minister and the May 1940 War Cabinet crisis.
Gary Oldman's prosthetic transformation and highly mannered performance dominate the film's presentation of Churchill.
Churchill faces pressure to negotiate with Hitler while considering the consequences of continued resistance.
Films like Darkest Hour, and why
The King's Speech
historical biopic centered on a national leader confronting wartime moral and political pressure
Dunkirk
British World War II drama combining political decision-making, national peril, and stirring rhetoric
Lincoln
prestige historical drama about leadership, military crisis, and the burden of consequential decisions
The Iron Lady
character-driven political biopic built around a commanding central performance and public oratory
Movie Details
- Director
- Joe Wright
- Release Date
- 2017-11-22
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (5541)
Cast
- Gary Oldman
- Stephen Dillane
- Lily James
- Ronald Pickup
- Ben Mendelsohn
- Kristin Scott Thomas
- Nicholas Jones
- Samuel West
- David Schofield
- Richard Lumsden
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Darkest Hour about?
- A newly appointed Churchill must rally Britain against Nazi Germany while deciding whether compromise or defiance offers the nation its best chance of survival.
- What is Darkest Hour like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Darkest Hour as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Darkest Hour violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Darkest Hour as mild.
- What did critics think of Darkest Hour?
- Critics broadly praised Gary Oldman's electrifying Churchill performance, Joe Wright's direction, and the film's forceful treatment of wartime rhetoric, while noting that its narrative can falter.
- Which films are like Darkest Hour?
- Films with a similar feel include The King's Speech, Dunkirk, Lincoln, and The Iron Lady.
- How long is Darkest Hour?
- Darkest Hour runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Darkest Hour?
- In United States, Darkest Hour streams on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus.
