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The Imitation Game

16 January 2015English1h 53m
Thriller
out of 10
Recommendedmost critics liked it
Monk Score · 11 scored reviews · 1 not rated

Cumberbatch's Turing carries this emotionally rich, if conventional, biopic home.

Verdict tier Recommended, most critics liked it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Cumberbatch's committed central performance
  • Criticised: Formulaic biopic simplifying Turing's complexity

Audience

User score 7.7 out of 10 from 18 ratings, Recommended
Read 1 audience review ↓

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Top cast

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Critic consensus

What 12 critics are saying

The Imitation Game draws largely positive notices from Indian critics, with the majority praising Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as Alan Turing and the film's emotional, well-crafted retelling of his life. Keira Knightley's supporting work, the period visual palette, and the film's gripping narrative structure are also singled out for appreciation. A dissenting minority, however, finds the film formulaic and superficial, criticizing it as Oscar-bait that reduces a complex subject to a simplified, conventional biopic and fails to probe the deeper layers of Turing's character.

How the 11 scores spread

1 not-rated review isn't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 12 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (12)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    There were 159 million million million possibilities each code generated by Enigma entailed. In the normal course, it would take 20 million years to decipher. Turing's team and his machine did that in two years, giving us what would become the modern computer, cutting the war short by an estimated two years, and saving approximately 14 million lives. But that's not what this film is about, making it better than other films on the Enigma. It is about the one life it couldn't.

  2. Top critic

    Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    This movie has the same unmistakable stench of disappointment and the waft of simplistic tripe that his previous movie 'The Fifth Estate' had. The same can also be said about director Morten Tyldum who showed so much promise in the Norwegian film 'Headhunters' and sold out so easily to the comforts of Hollywood.

  3. Top critic

    Rediff

    Film review ·

    If you do end up watching The Imitation Game and rightfully applauding its performances, do so with gusto but do also look up the facts of Turing's life. As for this critic who expected more from yet another obvious biopic-shaped piece of Oscar-bait, well, as that feeble Floyd album sang, High Hopes.

  4. BookMyShow

    Film review ·

    Benedict Cumberbatch is all kinds of incredible as the witty, arrogant, sociopath and homosexual mathematician! You're guaranteed to have an unbelievably great time while watching The Imitation Game. It's beyond any shadow of a doubt that this film is going to bag multiple awards at the Oscars this year. Watch a beautiful and impeccable story unfold before your eyes!

  5. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    Cumberbatch is a marvel to watch. The contrasts in him - comical when he is confronted with ordinary tasks like ordering food, and obsessive when it comes to work - are portrayed with powerful sensitivity. His inability to face the real world, the world outside his workplace, is almost heartrending. And Knightley is superb, a perfect match for Cumberbatch, demolishing the era's demeaning view of a woman's ability.

  6. India Today

    Film review ·

    If you need one good reason to watch The Imitation Game then watch it for an award winning performance by Benedict Cumberbatch!

  7. The Navhind Times

    Film review ·

    To put it plainly, The Imitation Game is one of the finest films seen on the big screen in recent times. Being a biopic, it works in the framework of a commercial enterprise but within that, it is as good as it gets. Norwegian director Morten Tyldum has got a terrific subject on hand but as we have seen before, there's many a slip between the cup and the lip, no matter how good the raw material, it still has to translate into a good film on the big screen. But Tyldum has hardly put a foot wrong and The Imitation Game has the makings of a classic.

  8. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    Joan's warmth and intellect both complements and is a counterfoil to Turing's personality. While his sexuality did cause him problems in his native England, this is not a tale of tragedy but rather, one of triumph. And as Turing was told as a child: "Sometimes, it is the people whom no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine." An affecting tale of an extraordinary human being.

  9. Zee News

    Film review ·

    ...a good introductory film for those who are not aware of Alan Turing and it is worth a watch. Visually with gripping metaphors along with snapshots of WWII and a colour palette that's apt, the film captures the era and the fine nuances of artists to perfection.

  10. Sify

    Film review ·

    Turing's story is indeed hard to imagine. Thanks to Cumberbatch's committed performance, a lot more people will know it.

  11. Wogma

    Film review ·

    ...one can't help get the feeling that the film doesn't seem to want to go into what Turing really was like deep, deep inside. It delves into plenty of facts, yes, but it could have been so much more powerful if Tyldum hadn't chosen to make a simple story seem like it is a complex tale. The deepest, darkest layers of Alan Turing, it seems, are destined to be an enigma, much like the man himself. This film on his life, though, is a well-crafted, gripping film.

  12. Firstpost

    Film review ·

    The Imitation Game is blessed to have a supporting cast with actors like Mark Strong who are able to rally around the hybrid of Sherlock and Turing that Cumberbatch plays. The acting and editing lift this film out of mediocrity, but just barely.

From our readers

Audience reviews (1)

18 ratings · user score 7.7

  1. disha vasudevaJan 2015
    9/10

    The imitation game is one movie that even though did not have a happy ending did not make me any less interested in the movie. it is a fast paced movie while at the same time making everything extremely clear. the story is heart touching and the performances are incredible. the flashbacks in the story are extremely well placed and give you the exact background of alan while at the same time never takes anything away from the main story line. it is an amazing movie and i seriously would recommend everyone to watch it. not only because of how good the movie is but also to pay respect to Alan Turner a person without whom we wouldn't be using the computer today and without whom many of us wouldn't even be alive today. he is a hero and i think there are many people in this world are unaware of his contribution to their lives.

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