The Seventh Seal

Name: The Seventh Seal
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Released: 1957-02-16
Rating: 8.1

February 16, 1957· 1h 36m

Fantasy Drama

Directed by

Ingmar Bergman

Cast

Gunnar Björnstrand Bengt Ekerot Nils Poppe Max von Sydow Bibi Andersson Inga Gill +39 more ↓

Cinemagraphs Score8.1

When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death to a chess match for his life. Tormented by the belief that God does not exist, Block sets off on a journey, meeting up with traveling players Jof and his wife, Mia, and becoming determined to evade Death long enough to commit one redemptive act while he still lives.

Audience Sentiment

Overall8.1

1 — Hated it5 — Neutral10 — Masterpiece

Critics

8+ Great

6-8 Good

<6 Poor

3 reviews·Last updated 13d ago

Peak Moment

The Dance of Death

9.4at 1h 33m

Lowest Moment

Village encounters and violence

6.8at 45m

Biggest Swing

From the challenging village violence sequences to the transcendent strawberry scene, showing Bergman's range from darkness to sublime beauty

Critics consistently praised this as Bergman's masterpiece, with particular acclaim for its iconic imagery and philosophical depth. While some middle sections exploring human brutality proved more challenging, the film builds to universally celebrated moments of beauty and meaning.

3 reviews analyzed|Sources: Tmdb