Luther is rarely presented as anything other than a preacher. He preaches even in casual conversation.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 22, 2004

About as swashbuckling as a history lesson gets.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 22, 2004

A few too many amateurish techniques and oversimplified confrontations hold Luther back a notch or two from greatness, and stamp it instead as entertaining Lutheran cheerleading.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 21, 2003

Shot on 100 locations in three countries and outfitted with impressive props, costumes, art direction and medieval streets, Luther makes up for what it lacks in vigorous storytelling with such production values.

Full Review | Oct 6, 2003

Heady theological badminton, as vigorously thoughtful as it is piously historical.

| Original Score: B- | Oct 2, 2003

Though it fails when providing a rounded history of the life of Martin Luther, it succeeds in giving viewers a little taste of the other social factors influencing things during the 16th century in Europe.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 1, 2003

Luther is a film that you know will end with one of those codas telling us what a profound life he led. But the movie itself just doesn't leave that kind of footprint.

Full Review | Sep 29, 2003

It's just unfortunate that a movie about such a daring man ultimately takes few risks.

Full Review | Sep 26, 2003

Engrossing, as much for its history lesson as for its filmmaking.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 26, 2003

For all its scope and detail, Luther fails to convey the sense of history moved by a compelling individual.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 26, 2003

More professional and competent than inspiring.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 26, 2003

An informative immersion in the history of both Catholic and Protestant churches, and a rather refreshing take on medieval morality.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 26, 2003

An unholy mess.

Full Review | Original Score: .5/4 | Sep 26, 2003

As the film veers uncertainly between meticulous historical recapitulation and shameless hokum, it brings enough characters to populate a mini-series.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 26, 2003

Deadly material, full of self-righteousness and devoid of balance.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 26, 2003

After a summer of numbing mindlessness, there is something frankly refreshing about a movie that deals even superficially with as significant a figure as the rebellious 16th century theologian Martin Luther.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 26, 2003

... I anticipated that Luther himself would be an inspiring figure, filled with the power of his convictions. What we get is an apologetic outsider with low self-esteem, who reasons himself into a role he has little taste for.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 26, 2003

Curiously flat.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 26, 2003

Relentlessly hagiographical in its depiction of Luther… distorts Catholic theology and history, consistently skewing its portrayal to put Luther in the best possible light while making his opponents seem as unreasonable as possible.

| Original Score: D | Sep 25, 2003

For a movie about a man of ideas, Luther is pretty exciting stuff.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 25, 2003