The Manchurian Candidate

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The Manchurian Candidate

R

2004

2h 10m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

209 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that his fellow squad-mate Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber), now a vice-presidential candidate, is the hero he remembers him being. As Marco's doubts deepen, Shaw's political power grows, and, when Marco finds a mysterious implant embedded in his back, the memory of what really happened begins to return.

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Critics Consensus

While not the classic its predecessor is, this update is well-acted and conjures a chilling resonance.

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Will Self

London Evening Standard

Dec 21, 2017

Good as the players are, they can't make this hokum remotely believable.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 28, 2010

4/5

Sleek remake is more violent than original.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Jul 6, 2010

Jonathan Demme's new Manchurian Candidate is a gourmet-popcorn movie--a hugely entertaining thriller shot through with dark shards of agony and paranoia. It takes nothing away from the original while delivering pleasures all its own.

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Pedro Gallego

Espinof

Jun 22, 2026

4.5/5

[Jonathan Demme's] skill for gripping thrillers was already evident in the past, and his talent for transforming empathy into cinema allows us to fully grasp this character's perspective. [Full review in Spanish]

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Mar 8, 2025

4/5

…In 2004, it seemed like a vanilla cop-out for Demme’s updated thriller not to pick political sides, not putting blame on right or left, but on the oligarchical monied elite, but in retrospect, his Manchurian Candidate was on the money….

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

Feb 15, 2021

And yet the film as a whole fails to move deeply. One questions whether it will have a profound impact on its viewers.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 7, 2026

The Manchurian Candidate = a *3.5* Movie

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Ashequl I

@Tofa13 Jul 25, 2026

Jonathan Demme’s 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate accomplishes the rare feat of updating a beloved classic while carving out its own distinct identity. Replacing Cold War fears with the insidious influence of corporate political power, the screenplay builds a relentless atmosphere of paranoia and psychological dread. Denzel Washington delivers a phenomenal, deeply vulnerable performance as a soldier desperately trying to untangle his own manipulated memories. Supported by a chillingly ruthless Meryl Streep and a tragic Liev Schreiber, the film keeps you hooked from start to finish. While it may not surpass the monumental 1962 original, its sharp direction, intense pacing, and claustrophobic perspective make it a top-tier modern conspiracy thriller.

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Gregory L.

@RT09869090 Apr 12, 2026

Even Denzel Washington can't save this movie from being average.

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thiago S

@Thiagostone Mar 26, 2026

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Dean R

@deanpricketts Mar 8, 2026

Excellent remake that really stands up to the original

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Zach J.

@Jenkins158 Dec 14, 2025

8/10

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Jonathan Demme

Director

Denzel Washington

Army Major Ben Marco

Meryl Streep

Eleanor Prentiss Shaw

Liev Schreiber

Raymond Shaw

Jon Voight

Thomas Jordan

Kimberly Elise

Rosie

The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Assassination

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - The Implant

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Decisions

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Father and Daughter

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Help Me or Shoot Me

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Dreams

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - A Big Bite of Shaw

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Private Eddie Ingram

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The Manchurian Candidate: Official Clip - Interrogation

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Synopsis

Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that his fellow squad-mate Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber), now a vice-presidential candidate, is the hero he remembers him being. As Marco's doubts deepen, Shaw's political power grows, and, when Marco finds a mysterious implant embedded in his back, the memory of what really happened begins to return.

Director: Jonathan Demme
Producer: Scott Rudin, Tina Sinatra, Jonathan Demme, Ilona Herzberg
Screenwriter: Daniel Pyne, Dean Georgaris, George Axelrod, Richard Condon
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Clinica Estetico
Rating: R (Violence|Some Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 30, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 17, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $65.9M
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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