No Man's Land
User Score
8.5 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 34 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 34
  3. Negative: 2 out of 34

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  1. wololooo
    Mar 27, 2012
    9
    In No Man's Land, Danis Tanociv takes a simple premise, and applies it with a huge amount of intelligence and wit. The dialogue is sharp and often hilarious, and watching the Bosnian and Serb soldiers play off each other is one of the highlights of the film. There's a much greater emphasis on narrative and symbolism than cinematography, which is nothing special but gets the job done nicely.
    Tanovic paints a cynical portrait of the UN, questioning their involvement as peacemakers.
    The ending was merciless and not at all what I expected, but nonetheless brilliant. No Man's Land deserved the Oscar for best foreign language picture, and is a stellar debut from Tanovic.    … Expand
  2. DeniS.
    Feb 20, 2003
    9
    A great script! The symbolism is fantastic! The film displays the difference in warfare between Serbs and Muslims. It also shows the "good will" of the international community to help the needy.
  3. SteveM.
    Nov 4, 2003
    9
    Joseph Heller redux!
  4. Marta
    May 8, 2003
    9
    Its simplicity and humor are the best war definition.
  5. ArmondA.
    May 30, 2007
    9
    This is a darkly comic version of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, and viewers tend to ask whether its political even-handedness doesn't cause it to suffer from the same fault that plagued the old classic. To many veterans and students of "The Great War", it is wrong-headed to portray the German soldiers so sympathetically, even though many of them were indeed just poor slobs doing the dirty work of the Kaiser and his privileged court. At the screening of No Man's Land in my house, our guest was a young diplomat from Croatia who gave us insight into the mutual contribution of the Serbs and Croats to the shooting war in Bosnia. The latter country became a surrogate battleground for other breakaway Yugoslav provinces whose interests were defined by their ex-patriots living abroad. In truth there was no clear victim-villain situation, which makes the dark cynicism of the auteur more in keeping with the facts than one might think.… Collapse
  6. JoeS.
    Feb 13, 2002
    10
    Excellent film.
  7. AdnanO.
    Mar 26, 2002
    10
    I feel sorry for those who did not get it!
  8. SunnyL.
    May 6, 2003
    9
    An excellent look into the consequences of racism, political apathy and pointless warmaking. A little more background about the war could have helped, but its universal theme holds true for any conflict between neighboring countries or ethnic rivals.
  9. Vee
    Oct 3, 2004
    10
    A poignant story.
  10. MikoR.
    Jan 31, 2005
    10
    An evenhanded look at the absurdity of our world, and the senseless ignorance that all of us are part of. And at the end of the movie, you may ask yourself "Is this what we have become", and for the life of it, you can't lie to yourself and say "no". Bitter moments of recognition for anyone who's ever been affiliated with the UN, or news TV.
  11. DanL.
    Mar 31, 2002
    10
    Dark and very intelligent. Should have been nominated for Best Picture.
  12. SeanC.
    Apr 27, 2002
    10
    Absolutely compelling. I haven't been this emotionally shaken by a wartime movie since "Life Is Beautiful."
  13. JamesL.
    Dec 23, 2002
    9
    One of the best movies of the year. It was simple and complex at the same time, which not many American filmmakers can do without being inane. The thing that really stood out was, at the very end, the great symbolism. Near perfect.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Schickel
    90
    All the actors in No Man's Land are wonderfully alive, fractious and unpredictable. Their performances also help break down the schematics and turn this into an emotionally potent, powerfully thoughtful and finally tragic experience.
  2. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    90
    Fierce, funny and finally devastating, Tanovic's superb film offers a timely look at the roots of civil war and acts of terrorism on both sides that can be exploited by political and media hypocrites alike.
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  3. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    75
    Some of the film's points are made a bit too heavily, but the subject is as timely as it is timeless, and many of the performances strike a pitch-perfect balance between parody and passion.
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