throughout "Benedetta", Paul Verhoeven builds up a heady, campy mix of religious imagery, corporeal abjectness, and masochism; it's ultimately uneven and dangerously provocative, but it's also a lot of fun
the film, is wild, intelligent, pulsating, provocative and vibrantly alive; Paul Verhoeven once again pushes all the buttons that will titillate, provoke, excite, offend and mix impudent and outrageous conceits with serious smarts
the beauty of "Benedetta" is that it never provides a straightforward answer to all of our questions, leaving it up to us to decide if we believe or not
Paul Verhoeven's transgressive but frustratingly self-conflicted period piece; By the time “Benedetta” fades to a close, Verhoeven's gleefully impertinent tale of pleasure and pain has grown numb to God's touch
"Benedetta", the latest from legendary Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, really is an epic sass-fest in which obscenely attractive nuns play power games against each other for God's approval
"Benedetta" is entertaining; even if it's messy and at times extremely violent. But it simply wouldn't be as good as it is without the incredible performances from Efira, Patakia, and of course, Charlotte Rampling, who always awes whilst on screen
"Benedetta" is a substantial, sophisticated, yet briskly paced and always highly entertaining drama, which balances quiet scenes of shrewd backroom politicking with lurid scenes of wild religious madness
by Pat Brown [Slant Magazine ]
by Dave Calhoun [Time Out New York ]
by Peter Bradshaw [The Guardian ]
by Adam Solomons [HeyUGuys ]
