The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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83%

Tomatometer

53 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

A German army deserter finds a Nazi captain's abandoned uniform during the final weeks of World War II. Emboldened by the authority it suddenly grants him, he amasses a band of stragglers that cedes to his every command -- despite the suspicions of some. Citing direct orders from Hitler himself, he soon takes command of a camp that holds German soldiers accused of desertion -- and begins to dispense harsh justice.

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The Captain

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Critics Consensus

The Captain makes chillingly persuasive points about the dark side of human nature -- and underscores how little certain tendencies ever really change.

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Critics Reviews

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The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Director Robert Schwentke shoots in black and white, yet the story is strictly black, giving little insight into the cruel, impressively coolheaded Herold (Max Hubacher) except that he's incensed at the German retreat.

Mar 11, 2020

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The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

April Wolfe

Village Voice

Hubacher's performance is a masterful physical feat.

Oct 22, 2018

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The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Captures the moment when fear and chaos bite and the ordered military existence crumbles into savagery and base urges.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 22, 2018

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The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Dominic Griffin

Spectrum Culture

Schwentke's made one of the best films of his career here, but it still winds up a superficial exercise.

Rated: 2.75/5

Jul 17, 2019

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The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Peter Sobczynski

eFilmCritic.com

When it is all said and done, it is the kind of film that one can easily shrug off when it is over, something that one might think would be impossible given the source material.

Feb 21, 2019

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The Captain (2017) | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Nick Johnston

Vanyaland

[It's] an engrossing horror-drama about the mask - or, well, the uniform - of sanity and what happens when it's given the legal authority to slip.

Dec 10, 2018

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Audience Reviews

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Pieter R A dark and riveting story. Watch until the end, the sequence that runs under the end credits is truly chilling and underscores the message (and therefore warning) that this excellent film conveys. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/15/24 Full Review Craig B Quite an intriguing war drama based on a true story.Very bleak, violent and quite confronting at times.War movie buffs should get something out of this interesting flick. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/16/24 Full Review Ty N This movie is absolutely dark. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/17/24 Full Review Audience Member Brutal, realistic movie. Seemed like a good portrayal of end of the war from the German side. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/19/23 Full Review Joe M I'm not sure if it's for everyone because some scenes are disturbing but I enjoy it. It's also in German but I dont mind english subtitles. It's based on a real life story and kept me interested the entire movie. One of the most interesting stories I've heard in a while. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/18/23 Full Review Jason B A gloriously dark and harrowing piece of cinema. Beautifully directed, incredible cast, with just a hint of black comedy to ease some of the stories heavy themes. This film should have won many awards but I don't think many people in the US heard of it, let alone saw it. I was shocked who directed it because it is levels above anything he's done. Incredible! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Robert Schwentke Director Max Hubacher Willi Herold Milan Peschel Freytag Frederick Lau Kipinski Waldemar Kobus Lagerleiter Hansen Alexander Fehling Hauptmann Junker

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The Captain (2017)

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Synopsis A German army deserter finds a Nazi captain's abandoned uniform during the final weeks of World War II. Emboldened by the authority it suddenly grants him, he amasses a band of stragglers that cedes to his every command -- despite the suspicions of some. Citing direct orders from Hitler himself, he soon takes command of a camp that holds German soldiers accused of desertion -- and begins to dispense harsh justice.

Director: Robert Schwentke
Producer: Frieder Schlaich, Irene von Alberti
Screenwriter: Robert Schwentke
Distributor: Music Box Films
Production Co: Filmgalerie 451, Opus Film, Alfama Films
Genre: History, Drama, War
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 27, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $108.6K
Runtime: 1h 58m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)