ATHENA

"(The) opening sequence is a barnstormer. But there is not much human complexity or human authenticity in the drama that follows."

"A loud and sloppy genre exercise (with) a patina of relevance."

"Athena... immensely satisfies as a fast-moving political thriller and urban drama that feels genuinely cinematic, with technical finesse to spare."

"A more self-aware film might have recognised the weaknesses of its storytelling and embraced the representational essence of Gavras’ direction..."

"It has high, topical drama and unspeakable tragedy, but it also has magnificence and velocity."

"The politics are ultimately melioristic, but the action, to the very last minute, is incandescent."

"Gavras’s new film is technically stunning but hollow at its apolitical core."

"Its immersive, “real-time” design leaves the viewer reeling and scrambling in time."

"As forcefully inhabited as these characters are... they rarely come across as more than pieces moved about at will in a fiery, doom-laden chess game."

"It’s an action drama that aims to shock with its bracing sound design and impactful visuals, but its politics feel muted and tentative..."