Polytechnique (2011): Ratings & Plot
Polytechnique is a 2011 historical drama directed by Denis Villeneuve. It runs 1 hour 17 minutes. Critics gave it 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 17m (77 min)
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Original language
-
French - Studio
- Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Polytechnique About?
The premise of Polytechnique without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Inspired by a tragic real-life event, Polytechnique depicts the horrifying attack on École Polytechnique in Montreal, where a gunman targeted female engineering students. The film explores the devastating impact of this senseless act of violence, portraying the immediate aftermath and the profound grief experienced by the survivors and the community. It offers a stark and unflinching look at the tragedy and its far-reaching consequences.
Polytechnique Themes & Keywords
· 21 tags- mass shooting
- misogynist
- year 1989
- misogyny
- 1980s
- violence
- docudrama drama
- tragedy drama
- 20th century
- period drama
- gunman
- montreal quebec canada
+9 more Show fewer
- school violence
- black and white
- in medias res
- insanity
- shot to death
- murder suicide
- suicide by gunshot
- mass murder
- engineering school
The Director of Polytechnique
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.
-
Director Denis Villeneuve
More from Denis Villeneuve
More films directed by Denis Villeneuve, best-rated first: Dune: Part Two, Incendies, Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival.
Polytechnique Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Polytechnique 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
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IMDb 7.2 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 88% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 76%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 63 Metascore
User score 6.5
See on Metacritic
Polytechnique Plot Summary
What happens in Polytechnique from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A young man meticulously prepares his rifle and writes a heartfelt message to his mother before heading to Polytechnique Montreal, an engineering school. Inside a classroom, he disrupts the lesson by entering with his weapon drawn. Demanding the men vacate the room while instructing the women to remain, he demonstrates the seriousness of his intentions by firing a shot into the ceiling. As he proclaims his animosity towards feminists, the terrified women protest their non-feminist beliefs, yet he callously opens fire, leaving some dead and others wounded. The chaos escalates as he roams through the hallways and cafeteria, specifically targeting women in a premeditated attack.
Full summary
The whole story of Polytechnique, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Polytechnique?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What was the name of the engineering school where the tragedy took place?
Seen Polytechnique?
Movies Like Polytechnique
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Polytechnique, Polytechnique: What Remains of December 6 and Octobre.
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Polytechnique FAQ: Runtime, Release Date & Director
Runtime, release date, director, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Polytechnique, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Polytechnique?
Polytechnique runs 1 hour 17 minutes (77 minutes).
When was Polytechnique released?
Polytechnique was released on June 29, 2011.
Who directed Polytechnique?
Polytechnique was directed by Denis Villeneuve.
More films by Denis Villeneuve How is Polytechnique rated?
Polytechnique has 7.2/10 on IMDb, 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and 63 on Metacritic.
Does Polytechnique have a post-credit scene?
No. Polytechnique has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Polytechnique in?
The original language of Polytechnique is French.
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