Print media may be dead, but the crusader journalist movie is alive and well. "The Post" is just as much a paean to the newspaper's heyday as it is a warning against corrupt government, complete with top-shelf cast. Given the Washington Post's lasting legacy (to this day), you can easily tell that the Pentagon Papers weren't the certain doom they seemed to spell out for the paper. Yet Spielberg jumps right into the material, creating excitement even in mundane printing press scenes. This is a stirring tale, masterfully directed and timelier than ever. Sure, it's probably Oscar-bait, but you can't argue with that level of quality.

8/10

'The Post' had a lot going for it. A great cast, that it was directed by Steven Spielberg (who directed a lot of great films and several childhood favourites) and an intriguing subject, such a lot could have gone right here. A lot actually is done right but not everything, found a lot to admire but it didn't quite click as an overall whole. Can see why it has been so positively reviewed but can also see why it has not worked for others.

What makes it especially worth watching is the cast. On paper there was a lot of talent in the first place and there is some truly great work here. Impeccable in the case of commanding Tom Hanks and a typically powerful turn from Meryl Streep as the most fully rounded character, then again usually one wouldn't expect anything less from actors of such high calibre. Bob Odenkirk's nuanced contribution is the standout of the supporting cast, while Carrie Coon and Matthew Rhys are also strong.

It is a well made film visually, made with grit, slickness and style and with an audaciously evocative period setting. While not one of his best or most memorable works, and it won't go down as an iconic score, John Williams' music is a clever mix of lush orchestral themes and a more sparse electronic tone that adds a suitably unsettling vibe. Spielberg shows signs of capable direction, while the second half is thrilling and suspenseful.

'The Post' is at its most successful in its portrayal of gender inequality and that some of the decisions made were difficult ones to make and how and why they were made and enforced. The script does have enough thought-provoking moments to keep one gripped.

Against all this some of the story is heavy-handed and hammers home its points too much, the exaggeration of the Washington Post's involvement was a prime example. The pace is uneven, the first half did need a fair bit of tightening up and felt too calculated while there is also a rushed feel to the film (perhaps for it to be released in time for awards season), particularly in how interesting and important themes and ideas were glossed over and not fully explored and there is some carelessness at times to Spielberg's directing.

Contrivances and a too talky and too on-the-nose approach is apparent in some of 'The Post's' script in primarily the first half, while the too tonally soft and lacking in dramatic integrity conclusion seemed at odds with the rest of the film.

In summation, an intriguing and worthwhile film but to me it was an uneven one. 6/10 Bethany Cox

THE POST is Steven Spielberg's attempt to make a newspaper-focused political thriller along the lines of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN or SPOTLIGHT. As a film, it fails in comparison to either of those classic movies, although it does have plenty of reasons to tune in. The direction is adequate and the material fine, although this isn't as good as BRIDGE OF SPIES as it doesn't have the same heart. The main problem I have with this is Meryl Streep, giving a performance EXACTLY the same as the one in THE IRON LADY. Her character feels extraneous, shoehorned into the story to add a modern-day feminist spin, and the whole moral dilemma she faces is more than tiresome. The good news is that, back in the newsroom, an all-but unrecognisable Tom Hanks is at the top of his game and leads the meat of the story, which is involved and suspenseful enough to keep you watching and engaged in the tale that plays out.