Requiem
Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
view
per page
  1. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    100
    Requiem, the new film from German director Hans-Christian Schmid, is absolutely astonishing. See it if you possibly can.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    91
    Requiem is drawn from an incident that was also the basis for last year's demon-seed hit, "The Exorcism of Emily Rose."
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Eddie Cockrell
    90
    Stunningly played story of faith vs. family.
  4. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    88
    An exorcism movie for the rest of us, the gripping German drama Requiem contains not a single special effect. It doesn't need one. It has terrific actors fully invested in a casual-seeming, docudramatic brand of storytelling, notably Sandra Hueller.
  5. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    88
    Bogumil Godfrejow's raw cinematography and Huller's poignant, close-to-the-bone performance transform what might have been a morbid curiosity into an entirely enthralling, quietly terrifying experience.
  6. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    80
    While "Exorcism" focused on a murder-trial battle between the priest and a prosecutor, Schmid's film beautifully details the behavior, events and socio-religious pressures that lead to the decision to perform such an extreme ritual.
  7. Empire
    Reviewed by: Helen O'Hara
    80
    A tragic tale of teen rebellion and misplaced faith, this is a sober and sobering account of a young girl's untimely end, made enthralling by great performances and restrained direction.
  8. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Jim Ridley
    80
    Sandra Hüller, a young German stage actress making a harrowing feature debut, invests Michaela's terrified, possibly schizophrenic outbursts with unholy conviction.
  9. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    80
    In its subtlety, complexity and dexterity, Requiem is a notably original work.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Jeannette Catsoulis
    80
    Requiem is a moving study of a tortured young woman more at peace with medieval ritual than with modern medicine.
  11. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    75
    Anybody who's ever seen a movie about exorcism knows that, in cases like this, the first thing to do is call 1-800-PRIEST, which the family does.
  12. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Scott Tobias
    75
    Though its heroine's mysterious seizures and blackouts are terrifying in the way they undermine her quest for self-determination, Requiem isn't a horror movie so much as a thwarted coming-of-age story, like "Carrie" without the bloody reckoning.
  13. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Martin Rubin
    50
    The nonsensationalistic results are also somewhat ho-hum--and oddly less convincing than Friedkin's lurid mess, let alone the elegant satanism sagas of Tourneur and Polanski.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
9.0 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. smijatov
    8
    "Requiem" is, by all accounts, a surprising film. Being about an exorcism experience, it is unusually subdued and controlled, which is quite refreshing. The film manages to be fully engaging and interesting, despite the fact that it's rather slow, and that very little happens in it in actuality. The cinematography and production design are the most amazing aspects of the film for me. These technical tools provided the credibility for the film to be so effective and believable. It felt as if it had been actually filmed in the 1970s, not in 2006, which is always commendable. The performances were overall great, with a stellar lead by Sandra Hüller, as the tormented girl. More than anything, this is a psychological drama and it hits full force. No fancy visual effects, no gimmicks. Just plain emotion and storytelling manage to do what most films in the 'exorcism' genre fail to do. This is not a horror film for those who want to be easily scared. It is truly scary because it ultimately shows how subjective and perceptive the whole notion of possessions is. One day you may not believe in it, while the other day you just might think you are possessed yourself. Very good film! One of the best German films I've seen. 8/10… Full Review »
  2. JoshW
    10
    Caught this one at the Seattle International Film Festival and was blown away. Sandra Huller's subdued performance is wonderful. Not to mention the best use of Deep Purple in a film sountrack.… Full Review »
  3. maxs.
    10
    Brilliant actors, especially Sandra Hüller´s performance is incredible. GREAT movie !! very very intense !
See all user reviews »