Advanced Search Beta »
Basic Search Fields
Waltz with Bashir
Waltz with Bashir Image
See the trailer
Metascore
91 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 70 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Starring: Ari Folman, Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag
  • Summary: One night at a bar, an old friend tells director Ari about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, the same number of beasts. The two men conclude that there’s a connection to their Israeli Army mission in the first Lebanon War of the early eighties. Ari is surprised that he can’t remember a thing anymore about that period of his life. Intrigued by this riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the world. He needs to discover the truth about that time and about himself. As Ari delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, his memory begins to creep up in surreal images. (Sony Classics)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    100
    It is personal filmmaking of the highest order, recognized with an Academy Award nomination for best foreign film.
  2. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Carrie Rickey
    100
    This psycho-thriller, a Golden Globe winner and presumptive favorite for the foreign-film Oscar, itself is revelatory.
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Peter Brunette
    60
    The chosen style of animation leads to a distracting choppiness that renders the movements, gestures and facial expressions of the interviewees unconvincing. The other problem is that, memory naturally being something that returns in fits and starts, the film is rarely able to sustain any consistent narrative thrust.

See all 33 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 28
  3. Negative: 3 out of 28
  1. tonyGreen
    10
    Wow. I can't rate this film highly enough. First of all we have a great screenplay, based on the first hand accounts / recollections of the director and some of his fellow soldiers in the Israeli conflict with Lebanon in 1982. Perhaps for budgetary reasons animation is used instead of live action to tell this tale. The animation / rotoscoping is nonetheless stunning (for the most part), and adds rather than detracts from the narrative. A film about memory, war, guilt, friendship and more. A powerfully emotional ending. A great film, an important film, watch it.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. MikeMike
    5
    Wow. This movie bored me to sleep. The animation style is fairly interesting but the disjointed story just didn't have enough to keep me interested. Maybe more real footage would have made me care. I'm not PC enough to rate this higher than a generous 5. Israeli and Lebanese viewers may be interested. Others may just snooze and wish for something, anything, more.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. DroogD.
    3
    Wonderful animation ... and incredibly boring.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 28 User Reviews

Trailers

Related Articles

  1. Best of the Decade, Movies

    Ten Years of Metacritic: The Best (and Worst) Movies of the Decade

    Ten Years of Metacritic: The Best (and Worst) Movies of the Decade Image
    Published: December 17, 2009
    Our best of the decade coverage continues with a look at the past ten years in cinema. While the decade's best-reviewed movie may not have been a commercial blockbuster (or even in English), our lists turn up plenty of recognizable names in addition to obscure gems you may have missed.
    More »