The Exterminating Angel
The Exterminating Angel

The Exterminating Angel

1962Movie93 minSpanish

After a lavish dinner party, the guests find themselves unable to depart... and, over the next few days, all of their elaborate societal pretenses and façades deteriorate as they are reduced to living like animals.

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Insights

IMDb7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes95%
Metacritic91/100
Google Users91%
Director: Luis BuñuelGenres: Comedy, Mystery, Drama, Fantasy, Surrealist

Plot Summary

At a lavish dinner party hosted by a wealthy couple, guests find themselves inexplicably unable to leave the dining room. As hours turn into days, societal norms begin to crumble, revealing the guests' deepest anxieties and primal instincts. The surreal situation escalates into chaos and madness, highlighting the absurdity of bourgeois conventions and the fragility of civilization.

Critical Reception

Luis Buñuel's 'The Exterminating Angel' is widely regarded as a masterpiece of surrealist cinema, lauded for its biting social commentary and enigmatic narrative. Critics praised its audacious concept and Buñuel's masterful direction in creating an atmosphere of escalating dread and dark humor.

What Reviewers Say

  • A surreal and darkly comedic masterpiece that critiques societal hypocrisy.
  • Buñuel's biting satire uses an absurd premise to expose human nature's flaws.
  • Praised for its unnerving atmosphere and enduring relevance.

Google audience: Viewers found the film to be a thought-provoking and unsettling examination of human behavior under pressure, with many appreciating its unique and bizarre premise. Some found the ending ambiguous, while others lauded its symbolic depth.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival. Frequently cited as one of the greatest films ever made.

Fun Fact

The film famously features a large flock of sheep wandering through the mansion, a surreal image that contributes to the dreamlike and unsettling atmosphere of the narrative.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

This is not only one of my favourite Luis Buñuel features but it is up there amongst my top horror movies too - and there are precisely no spooks nor jump-scares at all. It’s a collection of the great and the good who have assembled for a l...