Medea

Medea (1987)

  • 86% of critics liked it
    (14 reviews)

  • 75% of users liked it
    (1,735 ratings)

Shooting entirely on analog video, Lars von Trier directs the made-for-Danish-TV version of the ancient Greek tragedy Medea by Euripides. The screenplay is based on a 1960s adaptation written by master Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer that was never produced during his lifetime. The mythological… More

In Theaters
Jan 1, 1987 Wide
Facets

Critic Reviews

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    The moment you can forget about Dreyer--or at least reduce his contribution to some parts of the dialogue-- Medea becomes an exhilarating visual feast.

  • Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

    Works on von Trier's own imagistic terms.

  • Dave Kehr, New York Times

    No admirer of Mr. von Trier's work should miss this compelling rarity.

  • Michael Atkinson, Village Voice

    It's difficult to imagine the Euripides original ever being more eloquently adapted.

  • Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

    The cryptic tale is an exercise in long takes and roundabout dialogue, where every character speaks in riddles.

Read all 14 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Conner R


    Lars Von Trier has an amazing style and he made me enjoy a story that I am not to fond of. He made the story of Medea realistic and bleak, which was a nice contrast to the fantastical nature of the source material. The style is unlike any other. The acting was pretty decent and you… More

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