61
Metascore
8 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- A unique filmgoing experience that’s both intellectually stimulating and emotionally rewarding.
- 80The DissolveThe DissolveThe dark, surreal animation unearths the personal side of the story: its nightmarish aspect and traumas. It elevates the film into a portrait of an unspeakable tragedy.
- 75Slant MagazineElise NakhnikianSlant MagazineElise NakhnikianIt intriguingly invites us to think about the mundane forces that can drive a seemingly ordinary guy like Mohamed to do something so desperate and cruel as piracy.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterDeborah YoungThe Hollywood ReporterDeborah YoungThe story of Mohamed, who leaves behind his normal life for the money and excitement of piracy, is illuminating, even if he is never a terribly sympathetic character that the viewer can warm up to.
- 60Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlThe filmmakers have gotten extraordinary access to Mohamed and ravaged Somalia... But it's disappointing that they did not capture more scenes of Mohamed's wife and her family, who in the end are the ones who make the most momentous decision.
- 60VarietyJay WeissbergVarietyJay WeissbergHulsing’s illustrations suggest a depth to pirate Mohamed Nura that remains hidden in the flesh.
- 50The New York TimesNicolas RapoldThe New York TimesNicolas RapoldThis film could have been more surely and deftly put together.
- 40Los Angeles TimesCharles SolomonLos Angeles TimesCharles SolomonDisjointed and unfocused.