63
New York Post by Jonathan Foreman
So minimalist in characterization and dialogue that the plot all but evaporates -- and so does any dramatic power.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
70
Denis dispenses with most of Melville's hefty Christian symbolism in favor of the story's other great theme -- repressed homoerotic desire.
80
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
A ruggedly beautiful landscape of desert and sea provides a dramatic setting for a psychological drama told with the utmost rigor--and unabashed eroticism.
89
Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten
A stunning work of beauty, mystery, contemplation, and grit -- and like sands through the desert hourglass, these are the days of our lives.
100
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
You may not like Beau Travail - which is, after all, a quintessential "critic's film" - but I think you'll have to admit it's been almost perfectly executed.
90
A lovely piece of work.
100
San Francisco Chronicle by Peter Stack
Riveting.
100
Rolling Stone by Peter Travers
Unique and unforgettable.
100
The New York Times by Stephen Holden
A film that has the sweep and esthetic power of a full-length ballet.
100
San Francisco Examiner by Wesley Morris
Elegant.
So intensely and beautifully choreographed! You absolutely feel the release in the last scene.