71
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88New York Daily NewsJack MathewsNew York Daily NewsJack MathewsThis brilliant documentary, which shows not only how Belgian King Leopold II made the huge and resource-rich central African Congo his own private reserve, but how his legacy of exploiting the land and brutalizing its people continues in modern times.
- 80L.A. WeeklyErnest HardyL.A. WeeklyErnest HardyKing Leopold's Ghost is an often infuriating (and excruciating) film to watch, but one that gets to the root of the despair that now plagues so much of the African continent.
- Although King Leopold's Ghost dwells perhaps too long on the viciousness, it does offer clues on how it became a circle.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThe Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenIn its hard-hitting depiction of a legacy of unspeakable brutality, this film shows that the ghosts of Leopold are alive and well.
- 70VarietyRobert KoehlerVarietyRobert KoehlerGhost throws its most powerful punch in its second half, reporting on contempo events as a direct repeat of the ghastly Leopold era.
- 70Village VoiceJoshua LandVillage VoiceJoshua LandSleeker and more ambitious than the 2003 BBC-produced "Congo: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death," which focused more narrowly on long-suppressed Belgian atrocities of that era.
- 50The New York TimesManohla DargisThe New York TimesManohla DargisMs. Scott's outrage is palpable, but she has bitten off enough here for a 10-hour television series.