Rotten Tomatoes: 99% From 214 Reviews There was a very real chance that Selma could have crumbled under its own lofty aspirations and importance: it is after all a film with an essential message to tell. But thankfully, thanks to Ava DuVernay's expert guidance and some great central performances the power of that message didn't trump the more filmic requirements. Critics rightly tumbled over themselves to shower the biopic with praise, calling it a definitive Civil Rights movie and a passionate history lesson, and crucially celebrating the balance. It never forgets that in its agenda to teach, it also has another to entertain. The Oscar snubs were particularly hard-felt (especially since it was widely considered a result of poor logistics and context) but at least it picked up Sample Review:
"I have rarely seen a historical film that felt so populous and full of life, so alert to the tendrils of narrative that spread beyond the frame." - AO Scott
