New This Week
Critics & Publications
Archives: A-Z Index
Advanced Search

Upcoming Release Calendar
Awards & Bests By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Film In Our Forums

sort by name

sort by score

63 11th Hour, The
47 27 Dresses
29 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
39 Alvin and the Chipmunks
81 Bamako
84 Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
47 Bella
68 Business of Being Born, The
69 Charlie Wilson's War
64 Cloverfield
30 Cover
68 Delirious
92 Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The
43 Final Season, The
41 First Sunday
51 Golden Compass, The
49 Good Night, The
65 Great Debaters, The
63 Hannah Takes the Stairs
52 Hollywood Dreams
7 Hottie and the Nottie, The
60 I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
15 In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
81 Juno
70 Lars and the Real Girl
47 Lions for Lambs
41 Mad Money
71 Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)
xx Moondance Alexander
53 Music Within
77 Nanking
44 Nina's Heavenly Delights
24 One Missed Call
74 Orphanage, The
30 Over Her Dead Body
39 P.S. I Love You
37 P2
46 Reservation Road
55 Resurrecting the Champ
57 Romulus, My Father
85 Savages, The
78 Starting Out in the Evening
83 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
57 Teeth
92 There Will Be Blood
38 Trailer Park Boys: The Movie
32 Untraceable
63 Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
68 War Dance
71 Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, The
43 Youth Without Youth

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

War Dance
THINKFilm


8.7

based on 20 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 4 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

Internet Movie Database

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for some thematic material involving descriptions of war atrocities

Set in northern Uganda, a country ravaged by more than two decades of civil war, War/Dance tells the story of Dominic, Rose, and Nancy, three children whose families have been torn apart, their homes destroyed, and who currently reside in a displaced persons' camp in Patongo. When they are invited to compete in an annual music and dance festival, their historic journey to their nation's capital is also an opportunity to regain a part of their childhood and to taste victory for the first time in their lives. (ThinkFilm)

GENRE(S):	Documentary
WRITTEN BY:	Sean Fine Andrea Nix
DIRECTED BY:	Sean Fine Andrea Nix
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: April 15, 2008 Theatrical: November 9, 2007
RUNNING TIME:	105 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

TV Guide Ken Fox

Documentary filmmakers Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine found an ingenious way to tell their story in a film that is as unflinching as it is uplifting.

100

San Francisco Chronicle Rachel Howard

Beautifully filmed.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

This War/Dance is among the most affecting films I've seen all year; it cuts to the core of being and gives individual faces to sorrow and to hope.

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

The filmmaking style is annoyingly slick, but the testimonies of these children are excruciatingly moving.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

An enormously emotional and spirit-raising documentary.

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

This is documentary-making at its best, not pretending to be journalism, but still playing a crucial role in telling stories that otherwise wouldn't make the front page.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Overly polished, but deeply affecting, documentary.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

Documents the emotional and spiritual journey of three orphans.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jennie Punter

This film offers a child's perspective on the ravages and complexity of war and is also a convincing testament to the healing power of creative expression.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Once the competition arrives, the premise begins to suggest a marketing hook--it's "Spellbound" meets "The Devil Came on Horseback"!--but by then it's already served its purpose, imposing some structure around memories that would drive anyone mad.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

War/Dance, in spite of its slickness, is an honorable, sometimes inspiring exploration of the primal healing power of music and dance in an African tribal culture.

New York Magazine David Edelstein

For these kids to sing and dance with all their hearts, they need to go to a place in themselves that should be closed down forever. The glories of War/Dance are torturously won, and all the more glorious for it.

The Hollywood Reporter Justin Lowe

A refreshingly upbeat film that finds its roots in some seriously sobering events.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

"It's difficult for people to believe our story," says one kid, succinctly, eloquently, "but if we don't tell you, you won't know."

Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan

Isn't meant to be a depressing experience, as each of these unfortunate souls recovers a sense of pride in themselves and their tribe through music.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Even in support of the noblest of causes, manipulation is manipulation.

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

It's the film's reassuring, almost hypnotic visual rhythms, along with its Hollywood-like narrative structure -- which is closer to "Drumline" or "Bring It On" than to most documentaries -- that make it bearable.

Variety John Anderson

While the pic may be targeting Westerners who want to feel less awful about genocide and global negligence, it's hard to imagine War Dance appealing to that crowd -- or any other.

Village Voice Jim Ridley

The movie comes across as desperately, even irritatingly contrived, but I'd be lying if I didn't say it overcame my naturally complacent instincts--which would be to watch something (anything) else, to not get haunted by that closing litany of websites for global action.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White

Exploitive while it pretends to be empathetic.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Discuss this movie in our forums

Return to top of page

War Dance THINKFilm

War Dance
THINKFilm