Do you want to see ‘Bloody Sunday’?

Bloody Sunday (2002)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 7.9/10
Reviews Counted: 103
Fresh: 95 | Rotten: 8

Bloody Sunday powerfully recreates the events of that day with startling immediacy.

Average Rating: 8.2/10
Critic Reviews: 30
Fresh: 28 | Rotten: 2

Bloody Sunday powerfully recreates the events of that day with startling immediacy.

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Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 8,210

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Movie Info

Paul Greengrass (The Theory of Flight) wrote and directed this powerful look at January 30, 1972 -- better known as "Bloody Sunday." Ivan Cooper (James Nesbitt) attempts to organize a peaceful protest after Protestant leaders imprison Catholics without a trial. His actions conflict with hard-line IRA members who have no interest in a "peaceful" response, as well as the military men responsible for keeping the peace who are led by Major General Robert Ford (Tim Pigott-Smith) and Brigadier Patrick

R, 1 hr. 47 min.

Drama

Directed By: Paul Greengrass

Written By: Paul Greengrass

In Theaters: Oct 11, 2002 Limited

On DVD: Apr 22, 2003

Box Office:$0.6M

Paramount Classics

Bloody Sunday Trailer & Photos

Cast

James Nesbitt
Ivan Cooper
Nicholas Farrell
Brigadier Maclellan
Tim Pigott-Smith
Major General Robert Fo...
Gerard McSorley
Chief Supt. Lagan
Cathy Kiera Clarke
Kathy Kiera Clarke
Frances
Allan Gildea
Kevin McCorry
Gerard Crossan
Eamonn McCann
Mary Moulds
Bernadette Devlin
Carmel McCallion
Bridget Bond
Declan Duddy
Gerry Donaghy
Joanne Lindsay
Mary Donaghy
Simon Mann
Colonel Wilford
Christopher Villiers
Major Steele
Mike Edwards
Soldier
James Hewitt

Critic Reviews for Bloody Sunday

All Critics (106) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (96) | Rotten (8) | DVD (13)

Stunning.

March 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

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Scott Foundas

Variety

Top Critic

Greengrass sacrifices character and plot to a chilling impressionistic stylization.

March 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Patrick Z. McGavin

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Watching director Paul Greengrass's explosive Bloody Sunday, you have to remind yourself at moments that you're not looking at a documentary.

November 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Newsweek

| Comment

David Ansen

Newsweek

Top Critic

As a terrifying example of what can happen when too many angry people are crowded into too small a space, it's a gripper.

November 9, 2002 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Stephen Hunter

Washington Post

Top Critic

It's not just one of the best but also one of the most important films of the year.

November 7, 2002 Comment

Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

Top Critic

Leaves you dazed and shaken, as if you, too, had been caught in the swirl of events that led to unspeakable sadness and a lot more bloodshed.

November 2, 2002 Comment

Robert Denerstein

Denver Rocky Mountain News

Top Critic

Powerful retelling of 1972 demonstrations.

December 22, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Time has offered the Troubles perspective, investigation and pop-culture outlets (U2′s "Sunday Bloody Sunday"). But Paul Greengrass's film spoke to how reason meant absolutely nothing when rage reigned on either side of the line.

September 25, 2010 Full Review Source: Suite101.com

| Comment

Nick Rogers

Suite101.com

Greengrass has deliberately chosen to provoke an emotional rather than intellectual response with his film -- but sometimes provocation is much preferred to the British media's maintenance of the status quo.

December 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

Alan Morrison

Empire Magazine

Bloody Sunday demonstrates an historical thesis formulated in retrospect, which fits oddly with Greengrass's continuous-present technique.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Blogcritics.org

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Alan Dale

Blogcritics.org

Comparisons with The Battle of Algiers are not inappropriate.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Trevor Johnston

Time Out

Intense and difficult, but rewarding.

May 4, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

| Comment

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

As atua��es viscerais e a dire��o pseudo-documental recriam com contud�ncia um dos epis�dios mais revoltantes da hist�ria da luta irlandesa contra a domina��o brit�nica.

February 9, 2005 Comment

Pablo Villaca

Cinema em Cena

Captures the horrors of a civil rights march taking a wrong turn in the Northern Ireland city of Londonderry on Sunday, January 30, 1972.

February 20, 2004 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

This is tragedy in its rawest form: bloody chaos I couldn't help but watch. . . . The tension is palpable and the brutality is immediate.

December 1, 2003 Comment

Brian Gibson

Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)

The immediacy is overwhelming...an extraordinarily powerful film.

October 15, 2003 Full Review Source: About.com

| Comment

Jurgen Fauth

About.com

An amazing feat of movie making, "Bloody Sunday" leaves you stunned.

April 24, 2003 Full Review | Comment

Mark Robison

Reno Gazette-Journal Source: Reno Gazette-Journal

No victories here, but Greengrass' film is a triumph in anguish.

March 10, 2003 Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle

| Comment

Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

The audience is placed right in the center of events in a multi-sensual, horrific 'you are there' virtual reality of social protest that grabs you and never lets go.

January 19, 2003 Full Review | Comment

Prairie Miller

Long Island Press

The film exudes a universality that may apply to any conflict, especially any that provokes people to become killing machines in the name of nationalism.

January 8, 2003 Full Review Source: New Times

| Comment

Gregory Weinkauf

New Times

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Bloody Sunday

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Felt it a bit lengthy, but otherwise incredible. Of course I was never aware of such historical incident. But that's no news, is it? However, I found it a bit exaggerated when Ivan compares the incident to the Amritsar Massacre (aka Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, which also happened to be a Sunday). Worth a watch, but could have been edited better.

June 1, 2010

familiar stranger

Super Reviewer

Greengrass is just plain and simply, the man. He has the Midas touch in which everything he touches, turns to gold. In this gripping retelling of the events in 1972, Greengrass takes memories so wrought with emotion, and presents them in a way that seems not only fresh, but also fair. While he could have easily made a

October 12, 2011

Reid Volk

Super Reviewer

Bloody Sunday Quotes

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1. Ivan Cooper: You have destroyed the civil rights group.
– Submitted by Robin S (12 days ago)

Character	Quote
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