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The Trench

The Trench

199998 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Director
William Boyd
Starring
Daniel Craig, Danny Dyer, James D'Arcy, Paul Nicholls

The Trench tells the story of a group of young British soldiers on the eve of the Battle of the Somme in the summer of 1916, the worst defeat in British military history. Against this ill-fated backdrop, the movie depicts the soldiers' experience as a mixture of boredom, fear, panic, and restlessness, confined to a trench on the front lines.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Trench?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Trench to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Trench?

The Trench earns 7 badges, led by Before they were famous and Devastating.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Trench worth watching?

The Trench's Midcredits score is the 32nd percentile of all films, from 9.5K ratings across 6 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

32nd percentile

Better received than 32% of films

28th percentile among Drama35th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)34th
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

57 /100

34th percentile of all films

30th percentile among Drama36th percentile among 1990s

Critics 58 · Audience 57

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

27th percentile among Drama34th percentile among 1990s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

80th percentile

9.5K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Drama73rd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 18% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film has a strong cast and aims to depict the psychological weight of waiting in a WWI trench, but its low-budget, stage-like production and lack of conventional war spectacle define its strengths and weaknesses.

Fans praised

  • strong ensemble performances from then-up-and-coming actors
  • claustrophobic atmosphere and sense of impending doom
  • affecting character moments and psychological realism

Detractors panned

  • implausibly clean trench and lush No Man's Land betray low budget
  • anachronistic swearing and modern attitudes break period authenticity
  • boring, stagebound pacing with no real story or action

What stands out

Acting70

uniformly praised performances, especially Daniel Craig and Paul Nicholls

AtmosphereDivisive55

claustrophobic and tense for fans, but feels like a clean stage set for detractors

Emotional impactDivisive50

some moving moments, but many find it emotionally flat

CharactersDivisive45

stereotypical and underdeveloped, many characters hard to distinguish

Cinematography40

unimaginative, studio-bound look, too clean

Plot and storyDivisive35

barely present—just waiting with no narrative drive

PacingDivisive35

slow and tedious, but some fans find it evocative

Dialogue30

anachronistic swearing and clichéd lines

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 15 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

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

  • Women vs men 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Trench like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It 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

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseContemplativeMelancholic
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 plays its material completely straight, presenting the grim reality of trench life with unflinching seriousness.
The rideThe film sustains a pervasive dread as the men wait, punctuated by tense exchanges, and culminates in the heaviness of the final order to go over the top.
StructureAlmost the entire film unfolds within the confines of a single forward trench, building tension linearly as the men await the order to attack.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a powerful sense of the senseless waste of young lives and the claustrophobic dread of impending doom.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic 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 film follows a platoon of British soldiers waiting to go over the top in the Battle of the Somme, 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 filmsSelfWarSurvival
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%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% (this title) · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% (this title) · 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%

Survival

War · 1% of filmsMortality · 2% of filmsGrief · 6% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film is about the experience of waiting for battle in World War I, where the men grapple with fear, the proximity of death, and the bonds that hold them together.
StanceThe film mourns the human cost of war, focusing on the shared experience of the platoon rather than a single hero.

The world

Early 20th centuryInstitutionalRuralRealistic
Orchestral classicalElectronicSupportive music · original score
Settinga forward trench in the Somme region, France, June 1916
MusicA minimalist score that underscores the tension and melancholy of the waiting soldiers.

Content guide

Is The Trench okay for kids?

Not Rated

The Trench is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (89/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at intense (79/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (56/100) and frightening material at intense (74/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany12
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 49%
Profanity
Intense
heavy for an unrated film
heavier than 86%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

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

Too few votes to rank this title overall (56 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

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 The Trench have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Trench?

Cast

4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Daniel Craig
as Sgt. Telford Winter
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Danny Dyer
as Lance Cpl. Victor Dell
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James D'Arcy
as Pte. Colin Daventry
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Paul Nicholls
as Pte. Billy Macfarlane
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Julian Rhind-Tutt
as 2nd Lt. Ellis Harte
Ciarán McMenamin
as Pte. Charlie Ambrose
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Cillian Murphy
as Rag Rookwood
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Ben Whishaw
as Pte. James Deamis
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
newcomer then · star now
Adrian Lukis
as Lt. Col. Villiers
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tam Williams
as Pte. Eddie Macfarlane
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Trench?

Movies like The Trench include Blizzard of Souls (2019), All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) and All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films about mortality, and most are military films.

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

11 of these 12 share its subject: war. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Trench?

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