Tolkien
critic Reviews
, 50% Rotten Tomatometer Score- Tolkien has the period trappings and strong performances of a worthy biopic, but lacks the imagination required to truly do its subject justice.
- , Fresh Tomatometer ScoreWenlei MaNews.com.au
Tolkien is innocuous but uninspiring.
Read full article - , Rotten Tomatometer ScoreDavid StrattonThe Australian
Fans of Tolkien's writing probably won't discover anything new about the man from this film and the attempts to turn the Somme battlefield into a sort of fiery Middle Earth look painfully contrived. This is a minor biography of a major writer.
Read full article - , Rotten Tomatometer ScorePaul ByrnesSydney Morning Herald
The film looks great, a polished period piece, but the pedigree is ragged... The result is polite, plodding and unconvincing, like most movies about famous writers.
Read full article - , Rotten Tomatometer ScoreDavid EhrlichindieWire
"Tolkien" doesn't seem all that interested in providing any kind of entertainment.
Read full article - , Fresh Tomatometer ScoreJohn AndersonAmerica Magazine
Tolkien is on a journey, and while the film may deprive us of an arrival, it does give us a rather exhilarating travel itinerary.
Read full article - , Rotten Tomatometer ScoreJames BerardinelliReelViews
Tolkien may have been the most important modern fantasy author but the movie bearing his name won't stand the test of time.
Read full article - , Rotten Tomatometer ScoreJohn BrhelVague Visages
Great set design, solid acting and stunning cinematography. It offers insight into the genesis of Tolkien’s stories and will likely be of interest to casual fans. But it’s fairly standard biopic fare that unfortunately only skims the surface...
Read full article - , Fresh Tomatometer ScoreCollier JenningsBut Why Tho? A Geek Community
Despite some heavy-handed references to the Middle Earth books, Tolkien is a well-acted and well-directed film that sheds some light on one of the most beloved authors who ever lived.
Read full article - , Rotten Tomatometer ScoreRichard CrouseRichard Crouse
The Tolkien family has renounced the film not, one imagines, because it paints an unflattering portrait of its subject but because, by and large, it's a standard look at a man who is anything but ordinary.
Read full article - , Fresh Tomatometer ScoreSteven ProkopyThird Coast Review
It's easy to derive a great deal of pleasure in Hoult and Collins together. Their relationship has an innocent charm that is wonderful to witness.
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