1984

Name: 1984
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama
Released: March 22, 1985
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 67
Cast: Andrew Wilde, Anthony Benson, Cyril Cusack, David Cann, David Trevena

1985

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Ratings

See All

5.6

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.6	Your Score
5.6	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

1984

Now Playing: 1984

Movie Details & Credits

Atlantic Releasing Corporation | Release Date: March 22, 1985 | R

Starring: Andrew Wilde, Anthony Benson, Cyril Cusack, David Cann, David Trevena, Gregor Fisher, James Walker, John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton

Summary: In a totalitarian future society, a man, whose daily work is re-writing history, tries to rebel by falling in love.

Director: Michael Radford

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

The 1954 film version of Orwell's novel turned it into a cautionary, simplistic science-fiction tale. This version penetrates much more deeply into the novel's heart of darkness. Read full review

Bill Cosford

Radford's 1984 is a time of relentless oppression in every corner of life, and his images -- corroded, soiled, darkly corrupted -- speak of Orwell as eloquently as the characters. [15 Mar 1985, p.D6]

Vincent Canby

This 1984 is not an easy film to watch, but it exerts a fascination that demands attention even as you want to turn away from it. That the Orwell tale still works so well - and this version works far better than the 1956 film adaptation - also makes it apparent that the novel was always more cautionary in its intentions than prophetic. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

In this unremitting downer, writer-director Michael Radford introduces no touches of comedy or facile sensationalism to soften a harsh depiction of life under a totalitarian system as imagined by George Orwell in 1948. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

The performances in the film are excellent, and its look is entirely appropriate and mesmerizing--but only for a while. The film's basic flaw is that it's just too painful, too depressing, and too slow to watch. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

The look of the film certainly achieves the right rubble-strewn, monochrome period feel with precision and genuinely cinematic scope. Perhaps the greatest hurdle cleared, however, is the problem of incident. Radford's achievement is to have incorporated the impossible preaching and crazed ideas into the fabric with hardly any loose threads. The locations look very like modern Britain; and Burton at last found the one serious role for which he searched all his life. Read full review

Paul Attanasio

The movie stands simply as an artful adaptation, and not an altogether engaging one. The repeated scenes of the rallying mob, chanting and howling at Big Brother on the screen, soon grow tiresome; like everything about 1984, they seem redundant. Read full review

SEE ALL 8 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

Ikarian123

Sep 5, 2021

Excellent work and fantastic dedication to George Orwell masterpiece. Film can not never fully embrace frightening realism and pain of "1984", but with all limitations, it proved to be great.
Applaud to John Hurt and Richard Burton!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

mtws25

Feb 2, 2020

This movie is ipsis litteris with the book, what is always great, specially in a time like ours where every screenwriter that adapts a book think he can "spice things up", always for worst.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

arostislavna

Dec 13, 2021

Important film/story overall, but poorly executed here.

Stick to the book. (if it isn't banned in the future)

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eagleeyeviking

May 13, 2020

While "1984" is prescient, faithful to its novel and perfectly captures the feeling of helplessness in such type of regime, the film doesn't quite capture the character development and pacing of the novel that made it unputdownable.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JetReviews

Dec 19, 2018

This movie here is proof that not all books should be turned into movies. The only thing good about this movie is an occasional good scene with some decent acting, and some okay effects. The rest is just poorly condensed storytelling that comes no where close to being as good as the book. IfThis movie here is proof that not all books should be turned into movies. The only thing good about this movie is an occasional good scene with some decent acting, and some okay effects. The rest is just poorly condensed storytelling that comes no where close to being as good as the book. If you watch this movie without reading the book, be warned: you will be so confused. There is no characterization in this film, so you feel nothing for the characters. The scenes with nudity and sex are cringy. The ending works for the book, but, to me, does not work for the movie. I don't care about any of the characters. The movie is quite boring. What a let down.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Motoritz

Feb 7, 2022

Well, the book may be iconic, idk, I nether read it. But the movie definetly isn't. There is no character development, no character background, no chracter anything. They could be replaced by potatoes and sticks and it wouldn't make a difference.
The whole movie in general becomes reallyWell, the book may be iconic, idk, I nether read it. But the movie definetly isn't. There is no character development, no character background, no chracter anything. They could be replaced by potatoes and sticks and it wouldn't make a difference.
The whole movie in general becomes really tiresome real fast.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 6 REVIEWS