X
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Netflix
  • 1 h 36 m
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Netflix
  • 1 h 36 m
Burning Sands

Summary In his freshman year of college, it seems Zurich has everything going for him; he has the respect of his teachers and university administration, the love and devotion of a wonderful girlfriend, and he’s been selected for admission to a prestigious black fraternity on campus. But as Zurich embarks on the Hell Week of pledging his fraterni...

Directed By: Gerard McMurray

Written By: Christine T. Berg, Gerard McMurray

  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Netflix
  • 1 h 36 m
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Netflix
  • 1 h 36 m

Burning Sands

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 7 Critic Reviews
63
User Score Mixed or Average Based on 6 User Ratings
4.8
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Summary In his freshman year of college, it seems Zurich has everything going for him; he has the respect of his teachers and university administration, the love and devotion of a wonderful girlfriend, and he’s been selected for admission to a prestigious black fraternity on campus. But as Zurich embarks on the Hell Week of pledging his fraterni...

Directed By: Gerard McMurray

Written By: Christine T. Berg, Gerard McMurray

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 7 Critic Reviews
63
71% Positive
5 Reviews
29% Mixed
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 7 Critic Reviews
63
71% Positive
5 Reviews
29% Mixed
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
80
Mar 11, 2017
There’s no clumsy exposition here to explain motivations but delicately scattered crumbs involving status, family and the crippling strain of competitive masculinity.
By Benjamin Lee FULL REVIEW
75
Mar 10, 2017
Burning Sands, Gerald McMurray's feature filmmaking debut, is one of the fresher entries, thanks mainly to its setting: a historically black fraternity on a historically black campus like Howard, the university where the co-writer and director got his degree.
By Matt Zoller Seitz FULL REVIEW
75
Mar 9, 2017
There isn’t much room for nuance in his script, and the movie’s darkness (literally: too many poorly lit nighttime scenes are more heard than seen) undermines its message. But there’s something powerful even in its predictability.
By Kevin P. Sullivan FULL REVIEW
70
Feb 23, 2017
The occasional heavy-handed or clumsy elements don’t seriously impair a film whose high spirits, talented cast and luridly intriguing subject consistently entertain, even if they seldom truly surprise.
By Dennis Harvey FULL REVIEW
67
Feb 24, 2017
McMurray fixates too much on the brutality of his subject, foregoing any meaningful character development. The result is a film about punishment that is quite punishing to watch.
By Jude Dry FULL REVIEW
50
Mar 9, 2017
In the absence of a more dramatically dynamic approach to that awfully familiar subject matter, “Burning Sands” proves neither as incendiary nor as challenging as intended.
By Michael Rechtshaffen FULL REVIEW
50
Feb 23, 2017
First-time director McMurray, who worked as an associate producer on Fruitvale Station, does a decent job of staging the action and maintaining viewer attention on the straight-line story. But there’s no subtext, investigation of his characters’ various stories or motivations for doing what they’re doing. It’s a very shallow film.
By Todd McCarthy FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 6 User Ratings
4.8
33% Positive
2 Ratings
50% Mixed
3 Ratings
17% Negative
1 Rating

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 6 User Ratings
4.8
33% Positive
2 Ratings
50% Mixed
3 Ratings
17% Negative
1 Rating

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company Freedom Pictures, Homegrown Pictures, Homegrown Productions, Hudlin Entertainment, Mandalay Pictures, Netflix
Release Date Mar 10, 2017
Duration 1 h 36 m
Rating TV-MA
Genres
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Awards

Black Reel Awards
• 3 Nominations
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Nomination

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