In the Land of Blood and Honey 2011

Mary F. Pols, TIME Magazine: The most compelling, heartfelt movie Jolie has made in years. She isn't in it, but she's all over it. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: A mix of the powerful and the ridiculous, and eventually the ridiculous wins. Read more

James Rocchi, MSN Movies: The film may have more in ambition than it does in execution, but it deserves to be taken seriously... Read more

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: For the most part ... it moves briskly and easily holds your attention... Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: An admirably complex take on the horror of the rape camps, where Serb militia men performed ritual humiliations upon Bosnian women. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: You watch the movie wanting to look away, even as it reminds us of history that shouldn't be forgotten. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: Subtlety and understatement become collateral damage as Jolie drives her points home as forcefully as possible and the film devolves into a grubby melodrama that fails to edify or entertain. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Jolie has chosen a complex subject for her feature debut as a writer and director, and although not perfect, it's not for lack of trying. Read more

Jake Coyle, Associated Press: There isn't enough context given to the overall conflict, and the love story feels increasingly myopic as the war drags on and the film's ambitions broaden. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: "Blood and Honey'' is both strong and headstrong, equally invested in grit and glamour with a hazy understanding of the line separating the two. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: The tendency that often sinks Angelina Jolie's performances -- overemphasizing certain naturalistic behaviors at the expense of well-rounded characterization -- more or less sinks her first film as writer-director. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: "In the Land of Blood and Honey" clearly came from the same impulse that has led Jolie into so many humanitarian efforts around the world. Read more

Sam Adams, Los Angeles Times: Is it a bad sign when you want a movie to end almost as much as the war it's about? Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: This is an impressive piece of work that doesn't flinch from the atrocities that no doubt motivated Jolie to make the film in the first place. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: The film's key twist seems a bit underdeveloped, but there's no avoiding the horror the film captures. Even in modern times, what monsters men can be. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: In the Land of Blood and Honey captures the sickening way the war in Bosnia became a gray zone of genocide. Yet that, unfortunately, is not enough to make it a good movie. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: Jolie deserves significant credit for creating such a powerfully oppressive atmosphere and staging the ghastly events so credibly, even if it is these very strengths that will make people not want to watch what's onscreen. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Unfortunately, "Blood and Honey" has script problems: Its core story is less compelling than its overall atmosphere. Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: It's a tough, clear-eyed look at a ghastly ethnic war, with an admirably wide perspective that affords compassion for both sides. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: Feels more like one of those overly scripted appearances celebrity activists are always making in front of Congress. Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: In the Land of Blood and Honey is far from the best movie on this subject made since the war ended -- or even this year. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: A movie that is often harrowing, never less than intense but important, one unafraid of moments too many have chosen to forget. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: A head-spinning mix of dead babies and romantic dinners, pillow talk and mass executions. Blood and honey don't taste right together. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: It's impressively steady filmmaking for a first-timer, and a powerful, powerfully disturbing subject to take on. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The film does what all war films must, which is to reduce the incomprehensible suffering of countless people into the ultimate triumph of a few. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Jolie has a keen eye for the core of a scene and a true director's instinct for the pulse that defines character. Her live-wire movie is out to shake us. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: Soberly and elegantly shot. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: With its broad strokes, this invitation to an important discussion is hard to ignore, but the blood and honey on the table is an unpalatable mix. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Although Jolie's good intentions are easy to admire, those characters are hard to believe, and the bloody narrative has an oddly bloodless effect. Read more

Leah Rozen, TheWrap: Overall, Jolie has nothing to be embarrassed about and much of which to be proud with this movie. Even in moments where the film doesn't quite work, she shows ample evidence of ambition and a discerning director's eye. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: Jolie crafts a watchable, engaging drama set amid the Bosnian War, proof that she has paid attention during all of these years in front of the camera and has been able to translate that into some skill behind it. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: In the Land of Blood and Honey feels like the sober, hard-hitting work of a humanitarian. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: This alternately disturbing and titillating picture reps a dramatically misguided attempt to renew public awareness of the 1992-95 Balkan conflict. Read more

Karina Longworth, Village Voice: [Jolie] has produced a sanctimonious vanity commercial for her own good intentions. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: An ambitious if not entirely fully realized drama about the 1990s war in the former Yugoslavia. Read more