78
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleLos Angeles TimesRobert AbeleGorgeous, humbling, looking out-, up- and inward, the documentary The Velvet Queen is the rare nature film about not only beauty and beasts but also the very human urge to make sense of our place in it all.
- 88Washington PostMichael O'SullivanWashington PostMichael O'SullivanThere’s plenty to look at while we’re waiting for the titular Queen, and it’s often quite pretty: Shots of rabbits, sheep, deer, yaks, foxes, pikas, bears, other big cats and a miscellaneous assortment of birds abound. But this is not your typical Animal Planet or National Geographic film.
- 80The Irish TimesTara BradyThe Irish TimesTara BradyBy the time we finally see the leading lady, La Panthère des Neiges – as the film was called at home – has long since privileged the journey over the destination.
- 75RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoRogerEbert.comBrian TallericoThe Velvet Queen is at its strongest when it allows for silence on this gorgeous landscape, using only its mesmerizing score to elevate the imagery into something poetic about the beauty of mother nature.
- 75Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsChicago TribuneMichael PhillipsThis is one of those poetical nonfiction eyefuls determined to make its primary subjects seem like they were alone with their thoughts, their camera equipment and their expectant yearning.
- 70The New York TimesBen KenigsbergThe New York TimesBen KenigsbergThe movie operates on two basic levels. One is philosophical, as the camera watches two men who are themselves looking through viewfinders experience the sensations of a place where humans rarely disrupt the natural order.
- 70Little White LiesLittle White LiesIt’s a hypnotic lesson in watchful photojournalism, offering an insightful take on a quest to liaise with wildlife in its natural habitat – in this case, the rare Tibetan snow leopard.
- 67IndieWireTambay ObensonIndieWireTambay ObensonWhether it prompts genuine introspection, or even inspires further conversation on what Tesson argues, may provide some measure of how effective the film is. But whether or not viewers put any stock in his proclamations, it’s also perfectly OK to simply celebrate the grandeur in nature that the documentary exalts.
- 63Slant MagazinePat BrownSlant MagazinePat BrownLong stretches of the film are simply mesmerizing, but both Sylvain Tesson’s written compositions and the conversation between him and Vincent Munier often lapse into clichés about the distractions and decadence of modern society.