The Promise

Name: The Promise
Genre: Drama, History
Released: April 21, 2017
Duration: 133 min
Rating: 49
Cast: Charlotte Lebon, Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac

2017

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 174 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 174 Ratings

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The Promise

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Movie Details & Credits

Open Road Films (II) | Release Date: April 21, 2017 | Not Rated

Starring: Charlotte Lebon, Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac

Summary: It is 1914. As the Great War looms, the mighty Ottoman Empire is crumbling. Constantinople, the once vibrant, multicultural capital on the shores of the Bosporus, is about to be consumed by chaos. Michael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac), arrives in the cosmopolitan hub as a medical student determined to bring modern medicine back to Siroun, hisIt is 1914. As the Great War looms, the mighty Ottoman Empire is crumbling. Constantinople, the once vibrant, multicultural capital on the shores of the Bosporus, is about to be consumed by chaos. Michael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac), arrives in the cosmopolitan hub as a medical student determined to bring modern medicine back to Siroun, his ancestral village in Southern Turkey where Turkish Muslims and Armenian Christians have lived side by side for centuries. Photo-journalist Chris Myers (Christian Bale), has come here only partly to cover geo-politics. He is mesmerized by his love for Ana (Charlotte le Bon), an Armenian artist he has accompanied from Paris after the sudden death of her father. When Michael meets Ana, their shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between the two men. As the Turks form an alliance with Germany and the Empire turns violently against its own ethnic minorities, their conflicting passions must be deferred while they join forces to survive even as events threaten to overwhelm them.… Expand

Director: Terry George

Genre(s): Drama, History

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 133 min

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Critic Reviews

RogerEbert.com Glenn Kenny

Apr 21, 2017

The movie hits its cinematic stride, as it happens, when events are at their worst. The Promise is drenched in production value and replete with ravishing shots of sunrises and sunsets, but it’s in the scenes of fleeing, of battle, and of horrendous loss that the film is at its most effective. The depiction of the savagery inflicted on Armenia is bracing. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Apr 20, 2017

Yes, The Promise veers into corny territory, and yes, it’s derivative of better war romances — but it’s a solid and sobering reminder of the atrocities of war, bolstered by strong performances from Isaac and Bale, two of the best actors of their generation. Read full review

Johanna Schneller

Apr 20, 2017

No disrespect to Le Bon, who is pleasant enough, but this kind of part should be a career-definer. Where is today’s Ingrid Bergman, Julie Christie or Diane Keaton? Blame those damned superhero pics, which, in appealing only to adolescent boys, have cost us a generation of actresses. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Apr 17, 2017

The Promise, despite its battles, its vivid recreation of the last days of Constantinople (renamed Istanbul), its historical sweep,despite a very good cast, never feels “epic” and rarely do its romantically drawn characters draw us into their romance and their tragedy. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Apr 20, 2017

Director and co-writer Terry George (“Hotel Rwanda”) tries his best to give the film an epic sweep, but he substitutes quantity of plot threads for quality of story. Read full review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Apr 19, 2017

Only Bale’s man-of-action reporter comes across as a personality rather than a statistical composite. In part, that’s because the performance recognizes that people of unwavering integrity can still be dicks. Read full review

The Playlist Kevin Jagernauth

Sep 17, 2016

Didactic yet generic, The Promise endeavors to educate about a period of recent history that is still unacknowledged by the Turkish government, but curiously manages to be anonymous in form nonetheless. Read full review

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User Reviews

Stepancritic

Apr 28, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A true story that people inhumanly reject, thus encouraging genocide throughout the world. Themselves about it without suspecting. There are many examples in the history of the examples, such as the Holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda, and even now in our time the genocide continues in different parts of the world.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

Dikoosh

Apr 23, 2017

I actually enjoyed the love triangle because it gives the Armenian Genocide a human element. Ignore the ghost reviews by stooges of the Turkish government. This was an amazing movie experience and beautifully prepared by the $100 million Kirk Kerkorian spent on it. I wish we would spend thatI actually enjoyed the love triangle because it gives the Armenian Genocide a human element. Ignore the ghost reviews by stooges of the Turkish government. This was an amazing movie experience and beautifully prepared by the $100 million Kirk Kerkorian spent on it. I wish we would spend that on a church or a living monument but this work of art will last decades so it was worth doing. God bless the actors and crew that worked on this. You can tell they put their heart and soul into it. Watch and marvel how Turks stole Armenian businesses, lands, and everything else. The truth is Turkey does not belong to them. It belongs to Armenians, Greeks, and Kurds. If you see this movie you will agree… Expand

11 of 16 users found this helpful115

Tick

Apr 24, 2017

The movie was Really good. It takes a small story of the Armenian Genocide, and does a very good job. There were points in the movie which could have been better, but that's the case with every movie and individual taste.

The Disgusting Turkish Government has trolled negative reviews aboutThe movie was Really good. It takes a small story of the Armenian Genocide, and does a very good job. There were points in the movie which could have been better, but that's the case with every movie and individual taste.

The Disgusting Turkish Government has trolled negative reviews about this movie, because the country is a backward failed democracy. The appalling act of trying to torpedo the movie by the primitive Turkish Government, just goes to show the world that A country like Syria and Turkey are pretty much the same now-a-days.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

cfields103

Apr 21, 2017

Any shortcomings "The Promise" has are overshadowed by its importance as a film. The Turkish government still refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide's occurrence. The majority of negative reviews given on review sites are from Armenian Genocide deniers. I learned a lot about theAny shortcomings "The Promise" has are overshadowed by its importance as a film. The Turkish government still refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide's occurrence. The majority of negative reviews given on review sites are from Armenian Genocide deniers. I learned a lot about the Armenian Genocide from this movie. In addition to this, the scenery is beautiful and Oscar Isaac gives a gives a great performance as Michael.… Expand

7 of 13 users found this helpful76

BeStillAndKnow

Apr 22, 2017

The critics are unfortunately following someone else's directions who has political ties, and they have no place in the creative arts. The quality of the movie is what's being reviewed here and not history.

8 of 12 users found this helpful84

DogeGamer2015

Jul 26, 2020

Una película bastante buena, tiene drama, suspenso y acción, muy entretenida.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GlendaleDriver

Apr 22, 2017

A solid 5/10 movies that is brought down in rating by the fact it's based off of circumstantial evidence. I do feel badly for those who lost their lives during that time period, but there was no genocide and if you want a completely unbiased review, just see how all the other sites andA solid 5/10 movies that is brought down in rating by the fact it's based off of circumstantial evidence. I do feel badly for those who lost their lives during that time period, but there was no genocide and if you want a completely unbiased review, just see how all the other sites and critics here are rating it. People here are clearly rating perfect 10s for a flawed movie simply out of political perspective, so here is a 0 to give this movie an appropriate score.… Expand

4 of 22 users found this helpful418

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89	#89 Most Discussed Movie of 2017
65	#65 Most Shared Movie of 2017