The Manchurian Candidate

Critics Consensus

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

80%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 207

63%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 68,351
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Movie Info

A psychological thriller in which a career soldier, Army Major Bennett Marco, grows suspicious about his experiences in Desert Storm after Squad Sergeant Raymond Shaw, son of the powerful Senator Eleanor Shaw, becomes a candidate for Vice President.

Cast

Denzel Washington
as Ben Marco
Meryl Streep
as Eleanor Shaw
Liev Schreiber
as Raymond Shaw
Jeffrey Wright
as Al Melvin
Kimberly Elise
as Rosie
Vera Farmiga
as Jocelyne Jordan
Jon Voight
as Tom Jordan
Ted Levine
as Colonel Howard
Miguel Ferrer
as Colonel Garret
Bruno Ganz
as Delp
Tom Stechschulte
as Governor Robert "Bob"
Pablo Schreiber
as PFC Eddie Ingram
Anthony Mackie
as Robert Baker
Dorian Missick
as Owens
Jose Pablo Cantillo
as Villalobos
Teddy Dunn
as Wilson
Joaquin Perez-Campbell
as Atkins
Tim Artz
as Jameson
Robyn Hitchcock
as Laurence Tokar
Antoine Taylor
as Boy Scout
Joseph Alessi
as Boy Scout
Ray Anthony Thomas
as Scout Dad
Bill Irwin
as Scoutmaster
Al Franken
as a reporter
Paul Lazar
as Gillespie
Danny Darst
as Ellie's Mysterious Aide
Stephanie McBride
as Political Aide
Molly Hickock
as Political Aide
Victoria Haynes
as Political Aide
Adam LeFevre
as Congressman Healy
Roger Corman
as the Secretary
Leona E. Sondreal
as Green Room Official
Zeljko Ivanek
as Vaughn Utly
Jim Roche
as Senator from Florida
Ann Dowd
as Congresswoman Beckett
Obba Babatundé
as Senator Wells
Harry Northrup
as Congressman Flores
James Beattie Howard
as Himself
Walter Mosley
as Congressman Rawlins
Gordon Brummer
as `Gordy'
Gayle King
as a presenter
Brad Holbrook
as Newscaster
Stacey Newsome Santiago
as Newscaster
Kristen Shaughnessy
as Newscaster
Prue Lewarne
as Newscaster
Forrest Sawyer
as Newscaster
Ukee Washington
as Newscaster
Ed Crane
as Newscaster
Kaity Tong
as Newscaster
Roma Torre-Lopez
as Newscaster
William Meisle
as Tyler Prentiss
Dan Olmstead
as Senator John Shaw
Sakina Jaffrey
as Mysterious Arabic Woman
Simon McBurney
as Atticus Noyle
Charles Napier
as General Sloan
Robert Castle
as General Wilson
John Aprea
as Rear Admiral Glick
Jane DeNoble
as Robert Arthur's Wife
Jocelyn Jordan
as Vera Farmiga
Jude Ciccolella
as David Donovan
Dean Stockwell
as Mark Whiting
John Bedford Lloyd
as Jay `J.B.' Johnston
David Keeley
as Agent Evan Anderson
Christopher M. Russo
as Secret Service Agent
Michael C. Pierce
as Secret Service Agent
Marin Ireland
as Army Transcriber
Glen Hartell
as Army Transcriber
Tracey Walter
as Night Clerk
Alyson Renaldo
as Mirella Freeman
Edwidge Danticat
as Rosie's Cousin
Kenny Utt
as Rosie's Cousin's Mentor
Enrique Correa
as Reporter
David Neumann
as Reporter
Neda Armian
as Reporter
Paul Johnson
as Campaign Security
James McCauley
as FBI Agent Jonas
BeBe Winans
as FBI Agent Williams
Darrell Larson
as FBI Agent Ramirez
Kate Valk
as `Shadow' Agent Volk
Beau Sia
as a presenter
Duana Butler
as Library Clerk
Jim Wheeler
as Library Patron
Lauren Roselli
as Jordan's Aide
Stephen Richardson
as Jordan's Aide
Shing Ka
as Rosie's Sidekick
Malcolm Simpson
as Yelling Kid
Cassius Kumar Wilkinson
as `Abe Lincoln'
Josephine Demme
as `Statue of Liberty'
Gabriela Fung
as `Betsy Ross'
Denzel Dellahoussaye
as `George Washington'
Aaron Scoenfeld
as `Uncle Sam'
Geovonne Long
as `MLK'
Jonathan Borst
as `JFK'
Michael Shehata
as `American Eagle'
Tom Chapin
as Governor Edward Nelson
Lewis Walker
as Churchgoer
Joey Perillo
as Jimmy
Buzz Kilman
as The Guy with the Shades
Marie Runyon
as Arthur's Mother
Eliza Simpson
as Arthur's Child
Julie Adamy
as Arthur's Child
Andre B. Blake
as Victory Party Director
Tymberly Canale Harris
as Victory Party Celebrity Soldier
Lilly McDowell
as Shaw's Aide
Josh Elrod
as Shaw Aides
Craig Branam
as Klaus Bachman
Sidney Lumet
as Political
Anna Deavere Smith
as Political
Roy Blount Jr.
as Political
Fab 5 Freddy
as Political
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Critic Reviews for The Manchurian Candidate

All Critics (207) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (166) | Rotten (41)

  • The surprises surprised me so much that I am not sure I have quite mastered the plot yet. It is all excellent fun but, as with the original, not serious.

    January 30, 2018 | Full Review…

    Mark Amory

    The Spectator
    Top Critic

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

    December 21, 2017 | Full Review…

    Will Self

    London Evening Standard
    Top Critic

  • If it isn't the original's equal, The Manchurian Candidate conjures up an air of menace sufficient to make most modern thrillers look like romantic comedies.

    May 27, 2011 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
    Film4
    Top Critic

  • Sleek remake is more violent than original.

    December 28, 2010 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    Nell Minow

    Common Sense Media
    Top Critic

  • This humorless and nonsensical update of The Manchurian Candidate - a total misread of Frankenheimer's classic original - never quite engages, devolving the original's camp and satire into self-serious melodrama.

    August 19, 2010 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

    Jay Antani

    Cinema Writer
    Top Critic

  • 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.

    July 6, 2010 | Full Review…

    David Ansen

    Newsweek
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (207)

Audience Reviews for The Manchurian Candidate

  • Jul 11, 2018
    The opening gambit is one farfetched sci-fi idea: that you can be programmed to kill your loved ones against your will. But, past that, due to the professionalism of the participants, here is one decent fantasy thrill ride about a secret government coup by a multinational corporation. Jonathon Demme keeps the story fluid while Washionton, Streep and Schreiber, amongst others, make it all seem believable. Decent.
    Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
  • Apr 29, 2016
    It's an enjoyable, thrilling-enough watch, but it's not entirely memorable and suffers from an intriguing but convoluted premise.
    Matthew Samuel M Super Reviewer
  • Feb 23, 2014
    I know that the original is a beloved suspense film, but this is a solid remake. Excellent casting choices. The ending is great too.
    Stephen S Super Reviewer
  • Apr 22, 2012
    An above-average psychological thriller with some great performances, The Manchurian Candidate delivers its fair share of creepy moments before ending a little unremarkably. It is, of course, a remake of the 1960s thriller of the same name starring Frank Sinatra. I haven't seen the original, but I was impressed by just how exciting and entertaining this remake is. It's sort of a political thriller sprinkled with just enough creepiness and mystery to make it consistently interesting. Meryl Streep gives a fantastic performance as Liev Schreiber's sinister, conspiring mother and the primary antagonist of the movie. Schreiber is also great as a young senator and Gulf War veteran who is mind-controlled as part of a far-reaching political conspiracy. The story becomes a little muddled in the ending, but everything leading up to it is thrilling and very enjoyable. It's imperfect, but Jonathan Demme's The Manchurian Candidate has a lot to offer in terms of excitement and entertainment, and that's more than enough to make it a worthwhile movie to watch.
    Joey S Super Reviewer
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