Rotten Tomatoes: 98% From 91 Reviews Phoenix won't top too many financial lists when the dust of 2015 settles: it was only modestly successful, after all, but its critical acclaim should elevate it to essential viewing. The film - which is loosely based on Hubert Monteilhet's 1961 detective novel Le Retour Des Cendres - takes a claustrophobic story as its heart, building intrigue and suspense upon the nagging ghost of deceit and betrayal, with delightful noirish beats. Some say it could have been more, but that is probably unfair to its subtlety and restraint. It is gripping, beautifully well made and has heart-breaking swipes that are as haunting as the portrait of survival is captivating. Sample Review:
"Christian Petzold's Phoenix is a darkly melodramatic tale told in a very unmelodramatic fashion." - Geoffrey Macnab, Independent
