67
Metascore
5 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisJohanna Schwartz’s miraculously hopeful documentary, They Will Have to Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile, delivers a vibrant testimony of resilience under oppression.
- 70Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlAs a look at geopolitics, the film is limited, but as a musical doc it's strong — and it's best as the movie to recommend old white Americans go see as a reminder that people everywhere remain people.
- 67The A.V. ClubBenjamin MercerThe A.V. ClubBenjamin MercerEarly in First, Khaira compares music to oxygen. The film might’ve felt a little more enlightening if all the songs had room to breathe in turn.
- 60The GuardianLeslie FelperinThe GuardianLeslie FelperinAlthough many of the stories told here are deeply harrowing and the film sometimes seems to be trying to bite off too much, at least there’s a happy ending of sorts.
- 60Los Angeles TimesNoel MurrayLos Angeles TimesNoel MurrayThey Will Have to Kill Us First doesn't offer much of a primer on Mali's political or cultural histories — which is the movie's biggest weakness. But Schwartz did capture some remarkable footage of musicians who've spent the last few years taking tentative steps to reclaim what makes their nation special.