First reactions aren't kind — 'Bourne' director's new action epic called a 'Big Confused Mess'

So, The Uprising – director Paul Greengrass' latest crack at the historical epic – is already stirring up a bit of a storm, and not necessarily for the reasons he might've hoped. You'd expect a rousing, rough-edged yarn in the tradition of Braveheart or Apocalypto judging by the first trailer: burning villages, mud-soaked action, a hint of churning social unrest. But if you go by the chatter from early press screenings, it seems audiences are being divided faster than a Tudor inheritance.

The Early Response

The main talking point right out of the gate? The film's visual style. Greengrass is usually associated with frantic handheld camera work and breakneck editing, the sort of thing that kept Jason Bourne running from the CIA for most of the 2000s. Some critics reckon he’s simply repeated the formula here, but this time the magic’s gone a bit stale. One reviewer, posting on X, even said the pacing left the whole thing a “total slog” – apparently, even the occasional explosive battle couldn’t fend off a creeping sense of boredom.

Another X user got right to the point about Greengrass’ distinct approach. Here’s their take:

During the action sequences, it's quite effective, capturing the chaos, urgency, and brutality of the uprising. But there's absolutely no reason for the rest of the film to maintain that same visual approach in its quieter scenes, where it becomes very distracting.

The quick cuts, shaking camera and pseudo-documentary style worked brilliantly in Bloody Sunday or Captain Phillips, and The Bourne Ultimatum nabbed an Oscar for its trouble, but critics are saying it’s all feeling a bit tired a decade later. The consensus from some quarters: less 'immersive', more ‘unsure where I am or who I'm supposed to care about’.

Script, Story, and Some Hope

On top of that, a few viewers have moaned that Greengrass never quite gets a grip on his story. The film's big idea – an ordinary man leading a peasant revolt against a tyrannical king – gets buried under messy execution, muddied themes, and a script too rushed to give actual characters room to breathe. Much of the feedback brands the film as “disjointed,” lacking the emotional punch you’d want from a tale of violently-overturned feudal systems, and leaving the ending feeling a bit limp instead of rousing. Some people are now even speculating if this is all a half-baked Robin Hood origin story disguised with a posh new coat of paint.

It’s not completely grim – a handful of reactions have praised Andrew Garfield for stepping up amidst the chaos, the action scenes for bringing some punch, and the film's social commentary for, at least, being timely. Others mentioned the immersive worldbuilding as a highlight. Still, the response is all over the shop: some decent highs, some fierce lows, and a lot shrugging in the middle.

What Greengrass and Garfield Say

Greengrass himself, speaking to Empire, seems to think he’s got an engaging ride on his hands, calling The Uprising an "entertaining" and "rip-roaring adventure" with some relevant things to say about society, but he's insistent it won't clobber you over the head with its message. Garfield echoed the sentiment in Esquire, saying the sort of social injustice fuelling the 1381 Peasant’s Revolt is ‘still happening’, and the whole point is whether people can ‘free ourselves from an oppressive society and a set of systems and structures that doesn’t want us free’.

That's what The Uprising's about. How do we free ourselves from an oppressive society and a set of systems and structures that doesn't want us free?

Awkward Marketing and What’s Next

All that aside, there's already grumbling over The Uprising's messaging, with half the promotional material leaving punters slightly baffled about what sort of film they’re even getting. Not unprecedented, of course – Drive and Edge of Tomorrow both got walloped by muddled ad campaigns before finding their cults – but it’s now an extra hazard for a film that’s already divided early viewers. With the wide release creeping up, we find out soon enough if the rest of the world feels the same.

The Uprising drew sharp criticism for its use of handheld camera and editing style, especially outside action scenes.