60
It’s an aggressively stirring account of a nation painfully enduring catastrophic conflict as prelude to independence.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
70
With its muscular direction by former documentarian Dzintars Dreibergs, atmospheric cinematography and careful attention to period detail, this account of a troop of Latvian Riflemen fighting first for the Russian Imperial Army against invading German forces and then for an independent Latvia should appeal to WWI buffs and fans of Sam Mendes’ “1917.”
63
RogerEbert.com by Carlos Aguilar
Dreibergs excels with his measured but immersive set pieces—like one that unravels in a snowy landscape at night, best exemplifying his directorial brawn.
70
The Hollywood Reporter by Deborah Young
The imagery is epic and dreamlike at the same time, the battleground covered in mist, grain stubble, snow.
60
Brantevics convincingly portrays Arturs’ four-year transformation from a callow youth to a war-weary one, but as a national coming-of-age story, The Rifleman never quite outgrows its innocent, uncritical patriotism.
50
The New York Times by Glenn Kenny
“Blizzard” is almost immaculately shot and edited, but its good-taste approach to warfare, along with its treacly music score by Lolita Ritmanis, underscores what seems its main reason for being: a relentless “Go, Latvia!” agenda — which has extended to its marketing here.
75
Slant Magazine by Mark Jenkins
The filmmakers are unafraid of the picturesque, lighting scenes so they resemble old-master canvases.
70
Los Angeles Times by Robert Abele
Even with a thinly drawn lead, Blizzard of Souls maintains an undeniably raw power as a small country’s coming-of-age story, told through a bright-eyed wannabe hero and forged in a maelstrom of death and disillusionment.