Death and the Maiden
User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9

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  1. JaredC.
    Aug 8, 2007
    4
    I couldn't wait tell this movie came out on DVD, until I found nothing in the store but boring old 1940 movies. Two years later I found it in a store, but that was a time that I didn't have much taste or appetite for that kind of genre. But I watched it and I didn't mind it but could need some work on a few things.
  2. JayH
    May 10, 2009
    7
    Intense and compelling, excellent direction by Roman Polanski. Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley are amazing. Never a dull moment, very fast pacing. Fascinating story. I was not fully satisfied by the ending, but not sure if there would be any better way
  3. MartyG
    Jun 25, 2008
    6
    The issue is very real but this movie treatment is too obvious in its plot development and the ending just fades away. Weaver is not convincing, her husband has no spine, they have no chemistry. Kingsley makes it watchable.
  4. Hyliad
    Oct 7, 2011
    9
    Simply awesome: one place only, but... The film is smart and leaded by three amazing actors. The highlight are the numerous dialogues between complicated characters, with every defends his own point of view. And no flashback, no "tadam!" revelations, the viewer makes his own reflections, and it's the evidence it is a good movie...

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    89
    Death and the Maiden is a streamlined razor-ride of a movie: taut, riveting, and a psychological horror show that will leave nail-marks in your palms for days afterwards.
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  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    70
    Even though he's psychologically expanded his source, the material is a bit too schematic to work as much more than a scaled-down thriller.
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  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    Death and the Maiden is all about acting. In other hands, even given the same director, this might have been a dreary slog.
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