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Journey's End

Journey's End

Innocence Lost... Courage Found

2017107 minRMidcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Director
Saul Dibb
Starring
Asa Butterfield, Sam Claflin, Paul Bettany, Tom Sturridge

Set in a dugout in Aisne in 1918, a group of British officers, led by the mentally disintegrating young officer Stanhope, variously await their fate.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Journey's End?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Journey's End streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Journey's End?

Journey's End earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Atmospheric.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Journey's End worth watching?

Journey's End's Midcredits score is the 72nd percentile of all films, from 23K ratings across 6 sources. 63% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

72nd percentile

Better received than 72% of films

74th percentile among Drama72nd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)71st
Approval (how many liked it)70th

67 /100

71st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Drama70th percentile among 2010s

Critics 73 · Audience 67

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

63% liked it

70th percentile of all films

71st percentile among Drama70th percentile among 2010s
63% rated it 7–1037% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 73%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

91st percentile

23K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 33% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$12K
Domestic gross$162K
Worldwide gross$971K

59th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's an intimate, claustrophobic, and tense character study focused on psychological deterioration in the trenches rather than a conventional war film full of action, which fans find powerful and detractors find dull.

Fans praised

  • authentic reproduction of WWI trench atmosphere and claustrophobic confinement
  • emotionally devastating psychological portrait of men under extreme stress
  • exceptional ensemble performances especially Sam Claflin, Paul Bettany, and Asa Butterfield

Detractors panned

  • near-total lack of combat action makes it tedious and boring
  • overly stagey, talky, and static with minimal cinematic scope
  • script fails to develop characters enough for emotional connection

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

praised as superb across ensemble; Claflin's layered portrayal of a crumbling officer draws special mention; detractors call it overacted or uneven

AtmosphereDivisive85

immersive, grimy, claustrophobic trench environment with palpable impending doom

TensionDivisive80

slow-burn psychological dread and anticipation; detractors find it unearned

Emotional impactDivisive80

deeply moving and tragic depiction of mental collapse; detractors feel no emotional connection

CharactersDivisive75

compelling, psychologically nuanced officers hampered by lack of backstory; detractors say underdeveloped and tropey

Dialogue70

witty, naturalistic with sardonic humor from Toby Jones; some find it muffled or stage-bound

Plot and storyDivisive60

simple six-day wait for German offensive; fans value its anti-war focus on futility; detractors call it pointless and uneventful

Pacing45

slow, brooding burn that builds tension; detractors find it sluggish and boring

Preferred by

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

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Journey's End like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

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

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseDreadContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents the waiting and psychological strain of trench warfare with unwavering gravity, never undercutting its material.
The rideThe film sustains a constant low-level tension that spikes during the shelling, underpinned by dread of the coming attack and contemplative pauses between the men, with the emotional weight peaking in the final act as the attack begins.
StructureThe entire story unfolds within the trenches and officers' dugout, using a conventional build-up to the final attack.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe unflinching portrayal of psychological decline and the futility of war leaves a heavy, questioning aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet 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).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · 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% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows a company of soldiers awaiting an inevitable German offensive, their fate sealed by forces beyond their control.

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 filmsSelfLoyaltyBonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · 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%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · 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% (this title) · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Loyalty · 4% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsFate · 1% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines the bonds between men under extreme duress, particularly the loyalty of Raleigh to the transformed Stanhope, and how the war forces a crisis of identity in Stanhope, all played against the inescapable fate of the impending attack.
StanceThe film observes the soldiers' endurance and loyalty without glorifying or condemning, presenting the reality of trench warfare as a communal experience.

The world

Early 20th centuryInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Natalie Holt
SettingBritish trenches on the Western Front, March 1918
MusicThe score subtly underscores the tension and the emotional weight of the men's relationships without overwhelming the dialogue.

Content guide

Is Journey's End okay for kids?

R

Journey's End is rated R: “Rated R for some language and war images” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (48/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at moderate (55/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (62/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 30% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Poland16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 55% of all filmsHeavier than 30% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 26%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 3%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 28%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%

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

The reason to think twice is frightening material and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

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 Journey's End have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Journey's End?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Asa Butterfield
as Second Lieutenant Raleigh
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sam Claflin
as Captain Stanhope
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paul Bettany
as Lieutenant Osborne
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Sturridge
as 2nd Lt. Hibbert
Toby Jones
as Private Mason
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Stephen Graham
as 2nd Lt. Trotter
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Robert Glenister
as The Colonel
Theo Barklem-Biggs
as Private Watson
Miles Jupp
as Captain Hardy
Oliver Dimsdale
as Adjutant
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Journey's End?

Movies like Journey's End include 1917 (2019), All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) and Paths of Glory (1957). Of the 12 closest matches, most are period dramas, and several are films about loyalty.

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

5 of these 12 share its world: World War I. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Journey's End?

4K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: soldier. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.