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Summary 1949. George Orwell finishes what will be his last but most important novel, 1984. ORWELL: 2+2=5 delves deep into Orwell’s final months and visionary works to explore the roots of the vital and troubling concepts he revealed to the world in his dystopian masterpiece.
Directed By: Raoul Peck
Written By: Raoul Peck
Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5
74
3.6
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Summary 1949. George Orwell finishes what will be his last but most important novel, 1984. ORWELL: 2+2=5 delves deep into Orwell’s final months and visionary works to explore the roots of the vital and troubling concepts he revealed to the world in his dystopian masterpiece.
Directed By: Raoul Peck
Written By: Raoul Peck
Where to Watch
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 14 Critic Reviews
74
86% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
14% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 14 Critic Reviews
74
86% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
14% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Oct 2, 2025
Densely packed, the movie is a whirlwind of ideas and images, by turns heady, enlivening, disturbing and near-exhausting. It’s a work of visceral urgency from Peck, who’s best known for his 2017 documentary “I Am Not Your Negro,” about James Baldwin.
Oct 6, 2025
Perhaps the saddest, most effective thing about Orwell: 2+2=5 is that it all seems so obvious. The evidence, the crimes, the lies––all of it. So many of these despots lack any nuance or fortitude. Raoul Peck remains a steadfast beacon of truth. In this time when fiction is fact, we need as many of him as we can get.
Oct 3, 2025
It’s entirely possible you won’t see a scarier movie this year than Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5.
Oct 2, 2025
Filmmaker Raoul Peck uses George Orwell’s writings to weave together a biographical portrait of the author and a dispiriting picture of power and truth in the modern world in “Orwell: 2+2=5.”
May 24, 2025
Orwell: 2+2=5 is an artful balancing act, one that dips in and out of Orwell’s life and work, but also uses a broad array of reference points as it swings from history to art to the most current of events.
Sep 15, 2025
Director Raoul Peck, no stranger to connecting the past to the present as he did with “I Am Not Your Negro,” collaborates with the Orwell estate to retell the story behind the man who gave the world 1984 and Animal Farm and explore the themes Orwell illustrated in those works to current events to show how Orwell’s warnings have gone unheeded through the years. The result, “Orwell: 2+2=5,” is an ambitious work that is provocative but sometimes convoluted.
May 24, 2025
There’s no denying the film’s urgency, and audiences will certainly leave with plenty to chew over, but Peck doesn’t aid the thinking process by overloading us, where a more focused reading of Orwell’s key ideas could have yielded a much more cogent argument.
User Score
Generally Unfavorable Based on 5 User Ratings
3.6
40% Positive
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
60% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Generally Unfavorable Based on 5 User Ratings
3.6
40% Positive
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
60% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Oct 11, 2025
George Orwell (born Eric Arthur Blair, 1903-1050), author of such legendary novels as the allegorical Animal Farm and dystopian 1984, has been called one of the greatest and most insightful writers of the 20th Century. And, in light of recent history, he’s also been widely regarded as one of the most prescient, a plainspoken scribe who clearly saw the future long before it happened and wasn’t afraid to straightforwardly call it for what it would become. In recognition of that legacy, Orwell’s life, work and outlooks are now the subject of this latest production from prolific activist documentarian Raoul Peck. The film weaves together a biography of the author, the central themes of his journalistic and literary works, and illustrations of how those notions have materialized in the “management” (or, one might more accurately say, manipulation) of social, political and world affairs over the years, with an especially heavy emphasis on the present day. The filmmaker cites myriad examples of these manifestations to show just how on target Orwell was in predicting what would lie ahead, both in the places where he lived (England, Spain and Burma (now Myanmar)), as well as other locales around the globe, including Russia, Ukraine, Haiti, France, Latin America, Asia, and, most importantly, the US. And, while Peck largely targets the policies and practices of the right, he’s not afraid to take on anyone whose dogma is so rigid that it throws circumstances off balance for everyone. Most notably, though, the picture details just how insidious these initiatives can be, agendas accomplished through the skillful “handling” of language, media, beliefs and actions that lead to intentional, calculated and shameful obfuscation, creating purposely misleading impressions in the minds of an unwittingly susceptible public. The narrative places much emphasis on the signature double-talk expressions Orwell features in his narratives (especially 1984), including such meaningless phrases as “War is peace,” “Freedom is slavery” and “Ignorance is strength,” slogans that say nothing but become widely embraced with relentless and intimidating repetition. The director’s inclusion of these references thus depicts the deliberate war on truth being waged by those in power who will do anything to maintain their control over it, particularly when dealing with a compliant, quiescent population. These themes are further supported by an array of clips from other fictional and documentary works, such as the 1954, 1956 and 1984 versions of “1984,” “I, Daniel Blake” (2016), “Land and Freedom” (1995), “Minority Report” (2002), and “Orwell Rolls in His Grave” (2003), to name a few. And further enhancement is provided in numerous voiceover sequences from Orwell’s own writings, deftly narrated by Damian Lewis. All told, these elements provide a comprehensive look at the author and his work, as well as its relevance in today’s world. With that said, however, some aspects of this offering could use some work, most notably in the organization of its content, its overreliance at times on material that needs to be read (and that often flies by too quickly) and an occasional tendency toward redundancy, elements that have been known to intrude upon other films by this director. In addition, “Orwell: 2+ 2 = 5” has frequently been termed (and quite accurately at that) as the scariest picture of 2025, primarily due to its inclusion of some troubling graphic imagery (sensitive viewers take note). Nevertheless, this is an important film for our times, one that viewers should not be afraid to watch considering the stakes involved. Indeed, turning a blind eye might be easier to do in the moment – but probably not in the long run.
Report
Nov 10, 2025
Many useful historical points but overall, the film creators are heavy handed with their political opinions while railing against Orwellian style forced political opinions. An odd contradiction. Lovely cinematography.
Report
Production Company
- Anonymous Content
- Closer Media
- Jigsaw Productions
- Neon
- Velvet Film
Release Date Oct 10, 2025
Duration 1 h 59 m
Rating R
Genres
Awards
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards
• 2 Wins & 7 Nominations
El Gouna Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
International Documentary Association
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
