War HorseMovie Reviews

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Avg. Critic Score: 72 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
13 OK for kids 13+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 91
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    This is a beautifully built, classically framed movie, shot with the unshowy natural expressiveness of a John Ford Western by Spielberg's great cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski. Read full review

  • 88
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    War Horse gets to you. It's one from the heart. Read full review

  • 85
    Movieline | Stephanie Zacharek

    For all its borrowing from old Hollywood, I don't think War Horse is particularly nostalgic. The word I'd use is wistful. It's the largest, most lavish handful of wistfulness money can buy, and sometimes it's too much. Yet it's nice to know that even Steven Spielberg can still wish for something. Read full review

  • 75
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Steven Rea

    Spielberg and his team - composer John Williams, as always, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, screenwriter Richard Curtis - never forget their mission: to pull at heart strings, jerk some tears. Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    There are extraordinary and beautiful things in War Horse, enough of them to make the movie a pleasure and a worthwhile experience, though not enough to trick the eye or get you believing this movie hangs together. Read full review

  • 75
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    War Horse will likely take its place alongside beloved family films. But that doesn't mean sitting through it is pure pleasure. It's a long slog at almost 2½ hours, and occasionally it resorts to obvious sentimentality. At times it's hard to escape the sense that we're watching "Saving Private Ryan"-meets-"The Black Stallion." Read full review

  • 75
    Boston Globe | Ty Burr

    War Horse is the best film of the year. The year, unfortunately, is 1942. Read full review

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter | Todd McCarthy

    Whatever its missteps, this is a film that kids, middle-aged adults and grandparents can all see -- together or separately -- and get something out of in their own ways. There are precious few films that fit this description today and hats off to Spielberg for making one. Read full review

  • 60
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    The result is a film that may stay in the mind's eye longer than it lingers in the heart. Read full review

  • 60
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    While the Tony-winning play based on the same book creates unexpected impact through strikingly inventive puppetry, Spielberg is at a disadvantage in employing such a literal approach. Not even animals as beautiful as these can substitute for human ingenuity and imagination. Read full review

View more reviews for War Horse on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 13+ Spielberg's sweeping horse drama is beautiful but intense.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the English children's book and hit Broadway show depicts war in a realistic manner that's too intense for younger kids. Despite being an earnest, sentimental horse drama, the war sequences show soldiers being killed in action (and for desertion) as well as a field of dead cavalry horses. Three subplots focusing on families depict their own wartime tragedies, including a drunk father; a sick, orphaned granddaughter; and a soldier trying to save his underage brother from going to the front line. But the heart of this story is the touching bond between Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, who might be the bravest horse ever portrayed on film.
  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. What is its impact? Do you think it should have been toned down to make the movie even more family friendly?
  • Talk about the techniques Spielberg uses to "humanize" Joey. Do the extreme close-ups and swelling score make it easy to relate to the horse? Were you expecting the focus to shift to Joey's adventures instead of Albert's?
  • Why are horse movies so popular with audiences? Compare War Horse to other famous horse-centered films.
The good stuff
  • message true3 Positive messages: Albert and Joey's relationship is a story of perseverance, loyalty, and unwavering friendship. The two belong together, and Joey is committed not only to serving his country but to finding his beloved horse again. There are also messages about war -- both that it's an honor to serve your nation but that it's a tragedy to have to die for it.
  • rolemodels true4 Positive role models: Albert is an amazing young man. He's dedicated and disciplined to train and teach Joey and later to find him again. He's brave during battle and selfless in his actions. Despite his courage, he's also quite kind and sweet. A German soldier tries to save his younger brother from fighting, even if by doing so he endangers himself. A French grandfather and his sick, precocious granddaughter have a beautiful relationship that's combative but close.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence: The war scenes aren't sugar-coated. They're not as graphic as the R-rated Saving Private Ryan, but there's definitely a body count -- with dead and injured soldiers and horses shown. Most of the disturbing war scenes are in the movie's second half. Particularly upsetting moments include two young soldiers being shot for deserting, other key supporting characters (including a horse) being killed in action or from exhaustion, and a major character being injured (it's unsure whether he'll make it or not).
  • sex false0 Sexy stuff: A teenager flirts with a girl he's driving around town; Albert shows off on Joey in front of them.
  • language false2 Language: British slang/insults like "barmy," "bugger," "bloody," "daft," "stupid git," "old sod," "fool of a father," and the like. Also "hell," "damn," and "good lord" (as an exclamation).
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false2 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Mr. Narracott drinks and seems to be known for being drunk on a regular basis. He stumbles around and slurs his words on occasion.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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War Horse Featured Trailers + Video Clips

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Exclusive Features

Cast Interview Exclusive Cast Interview Tom Hiddleston and Emily Watson talk about shooting war sequences with Steven Spielberg while Jeremy Irvine discusses working with the stars of the movie - the horses.