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Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour

Never give up. Never give in.

2017125 minPG-13Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Director
Joe Wright
Starring
Gary Oldman, Stephen Dillane, Lily James, Ronald Pickup

In May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Darkest Hour?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Darkest Hour to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Darkest Hour?

Darkest Hour earns 10 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Top 10% of films.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Darkest Hour worth watching?

Darkest Hour's Midcredits score is the 93rd percentile of all films, from 546K ratings across 6 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

93rd percentile

Better received than 93% of films

90th percentile among Biography94th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)94th

74 /100

89th percentile of all films

87th percentile among Biography89th percentile among 2010s

Critics 75 · Audience 74

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

84% liked it

94th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Biography95th percentile among 2010s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Critics 84% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

2 Oscars won · 4 Oscar noms · 38 wins / 58 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

98th percentile

545K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Biography98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 40 days to Oct 26Down 37% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$175K
Domestic gross$56M
Worldwide gross$151M

Returned 5.0× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A showcase for Gary Oldman's commanding performance, though its historical liberties divide opinion.

Fans praised

  • oldman's transformative, Oscar-worthy central performance
  • evocative 1940 period detail and production design
  • riveting, emotionally powerful drama of Churchill's early premiership

Detractors panned

  • historical inaccuracies and fabricated events
  • oscar-bait formula and simplistic patriotic vision
  • slow pacing and stylistic distractions

What stands out

Acting92

oldman's tour de force, with strong ensemble support

Atmosphere80

immersive 1940 london and war cabinet tension

Dialogue70

tart, witty, and stirring speeches; some over-the-top lines

Tension70

war-room urgency and political maneuvering

CharactersDivisive60

churchill's eccentricities and human quirks, but simplified for heroics

Plot and storyDivisive55

narrow historical focus, but criticized for inaccuracies and formula

OriginalityDivisive45

familiar biopic tropes and oscar-bait structure

PacingDivisive45

starts slowly and drags in parts; editing occasionally jarring

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Darkest Hour like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It takes its time and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
TenseHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats Churchill's dilemma and the weight of history with gravity and sincerity, while allowing his character's humour to surface.
The rideThe film maintains a steady historical and political tension, with the highest emotional pressure during the climactic speeches and final defiance.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically through Churchill's first month in office, following a conventional beginning-middle-end structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer inspired by Churchill's resolve while aware of the immense human cost.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeChurchill must overcome the tyrannical threat of Nazi Germany and the political pressure to appease, making this a classic monster-slaying narrative.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDutyMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Duty · 2% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the crushing weight of leadership and the moral necessity of choosing principle over expediency in a time of existential crisis.
StanceThe film affirms Churchill's choice to fight as a moral triumph, presenting duty and defiance as virtues worth celebrating.

The world

Mid 20th centuryInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Dario Marianelli
SettingChurchill's first weeks as Prime Minister during the fall of France, 1940
MusicThe score swells during Churchill's speeches, emphasizing the gravity of his decisions.

Content guide

Is Darkest Hour okay for kids?

PG-13

Darkest Hour is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some thematic material” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (26/100), sexual content at minimal (7/100), language at mild (34/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (57/100) and frightening material at mild (31/100). Overall it is heavier than 30% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 42 other countries
  • UKPG
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • IrelandPG
  • New ZealandPG
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • ArgentinaATP
  • Austria8
  • CLTE
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceK12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • ID13+
  • IndiaUA
  • IsraelAll
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • MOB
  • MYP13
  • Netherlands9
  • Norway9
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO15
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporePG
  • SpainA
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan6+
  • TH13
  • TürkiyeGenel İzleyici Kitlesi
  • UA12+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 22% of all filmsHeavier than 30% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 20%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 6%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 29%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 95%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 29%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is drug and alcohol content, heavier than 95% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Darkest Hour have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Darkest Hour?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Gary Oldman won the Oscar for this film.

Gary Oldman
as Winston Churchill
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Stephen Dillane
as Viscount Halifax
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lily James
as Elizabeth Layton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ronald Pickup
as Neville Chamberlain
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Ben Mendelsohn
as King George VI
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kristin Scott Thomas
as Clemmie
BAFTA nominee: BAFTA Award nomination — Best Supporting Actress
Nicholas Jones
as Sir John Simon
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Samuel West
as Sir Anthony Eden
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
David Schofield
as Clement Atlee
Richard Lumsden
as General Ismay
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Darkest Hour?

Movies like Darkest Hour include Trumbo (2015), Churchill (2017) and Gandhi (1982). Of the 12 closest matches, most are biopics, and several are films set during World War II.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: political. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Darkest Hour?

560 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: politician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.