TheReviewMonk is back — critic reviews for Indian cinema, aggregated. Read our story →

TheReviewMonk
Pawn Sacrifice backdrop

Pawn Sacrifice

18 September 2015English1h 54m

What critics are saying

Critics received Pawn Sacrifice with a generally positive but measured response, praising the film for making chess compelling and dramatically tense for general audiences.

Read all 5 reviews →

Not streaming in India

American chess champion Bobby Fischer prepares for a legendary match-up against Russian Boris Spassky.

Critic Consensus

Critics received Pawn Sacrifice with a generally positive but measured response, praising the film for making chess compelling and dramatically tense for general audiences. Tobey Maguire's portrayal of Bobby Fischer was specifically highlighted for capturing the complexity and frustration surrounding the chess prodigy. The film's direction and screenplay were credited for elevating the on-board action into gripping cinema. The main criticism was that viewers already familiar with Fischer's life would find little new ground covered.

4 rated reviews · 3 positive · 1 mixed

Praised: Maguire's performance as FischerCriticised: Offers little new for informed viewers

AI-generated summary of 5 critic reviews · may contain errors

Report inaccuracy

Critic Reviews (5)

Updated
Shalini LangerTop Critic· Indian Express
8.0
After watching 'Pawn Sacrifice', the game, that involves kings, queens, knights and bishops, but essentially two players poring over a small table, will never look the same again.
Read full review ↗
Mihir FadnavisTop Critic· Firstpost
Not rated
Even if you have never played chess in your life, Pawn Sacrifice is fun to watch. It is a testament to Zwick's direction and Knight's writing that Pawn Sacrifice makes chess games so tense and exciting.
Read full review ↗
Reagan Gavin Rasquinha· Times Of India
7.0
Playing Fischer, Maguire accurately portrays the frustration that the people close to the real chess prodigy felt, but understood and tolerated because they knew that this was no ordinary guy. Essaying a complex character like Fischer isn't easy, but Maguire does a pretty admirable job of it. You might just want to bring out that old chessboard after watching this one.
Read full review ↗
Johnson Thomas· Mid-Day
6.0
Pawn Sacrifice is a fascinating drama, a biopic of sorts, that sheds light on the life and career of America's most valued asset during the height of the cold war. And it's not a weapon of mass destruction I am alluding to, but a homegrown champion whose mastery over the game of 64 squares put the chess giants, USSR, on the back foot.
Read full review ↗
5.0
If you have never heard the name Bobby Fischer and want to see the biopic on this Chess legend's life, Pawn Sacrifice is a decent watch for you. But if you are well-read about this personality, the film will show you something you already know.
Read full review ↗

Cast & Crew

Cast

Details

Release Date
18 September 2015
Runtime
1h 54m
Language
English
Genre
Drama

User Ratings & Reviews

Users5.52 ratings

2 ratings · 0 with a written review

TMDB

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.