Despite Guggenheim’s asymmetrical approach, Malala’s unquestionable bravery and youthful idealism shine through.

| Aug 1, 2023

Ultimately, this gentle documentary is less interested in the typical needs of drama and more in the patient, accepting demeanor of the remarkable young woman at its heart.

| Mar 24, 2020

Even beyond Malala, there's plenty of interesting material to work with here, such as the inside explanation of the Taliban's appeal to the uneducated populations. But He Named Me Malala is simply unable to present it in a coherent fashion.

| Jan 10, 2020

Malala is a unique, surprising individual, who's part of a larger history of standing up to oppression.

| Oct 21, 2019

Malala is highly confident, well spoken yet cheeky, and the story is powerful and inspiring.

| Aug 15, 2019

It's so disappointing to see [Malala] saddled with such a perfunctory, trite, and gushing tribute that barely scratches the surface of this remarkable woman.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 7, 2019

A lengthy but fast-paced mixture of animated sequences, dramatised reconstructions, news and specially shot footage, He Named Me Malala is a well-made, easy to digest documentary-lite.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 31, 2019

Touching, likeable and often life-affirming, HNMM keenly balances its themes and subject matter, and most importantly fully allows the warmth and grace of its subject shine through.

| Original Score: 4/5 | May 4, 2019

Stirring, respectful and eulogising rather than polemical.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 8, 2019

What shines through is her calmness and optimism as she continues along the long, slow path back to full recovery.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 23, 2018

... the title and narrative makes it inadvertently about the man behind Malala, her father Ziauddin Yousafzai, that by the end of 87 minutes will leave you questioning just what is the real story behind the this almost mythical Malala.

| Aug 21, 2018

He Named Me Malala is well-made, inspiring, and full of moments that will touch your heart in ways many documentaries of this nature won't.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 14, 2018

The wonderful thing about He Named Me Malala, a documentary made by the American Davis Guggenheim, is how much it tells us that we didn't know.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 26, 2017

What's in a name? As He Named Me Malala posits, maybe nothing, until the rose chooses to embody what it means to be a rose.

| Original Score: B+ | Sep 22, 2017

HE NAMED ME MALALA feels really impersonal (despite Guggenheim's attempts to eek out an engaging film), and it does her story a major disservice as it succumbs to the male perspective it tries--and fails--to denounce.

| Original Score: C- | Sep 1, 2017

[He Named me Malala] is barely 90 minutes long, but I could have watched more.

| Aug 11, 2017

Guggenheim fails to shine a light forward, it's a good thing Malala is there to speak for herself and for the hopes of new generations.

| Jun 20, 2017

Hollywood may be taking its sweet time making the Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel movies, but filmgoers don't have to keep waiting on a Superwoman to see an inspirational heroine on the big screen.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 12, 2016

A beautiful, thought-provoking piece of film-making which demands to be seen.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 19, 2016

A few too many shots of his subject receiving awards and meeting famous people, however Malala Yousafzai is an extraordinary woman and, no matter how her story is presented, it's most definitely worth hearing.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 3, 2016