Skip to content
MovieCove
The Promise

The Promise

Empires fall. Love survives.

2016133 minPG-13Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Director
Terry George
Starring
Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, Christian Bale, Daniel Giménez Cacho

Set during the last days of the Ottoman Empire, a love triangle develops between Mikael, a brilliant medical student, the beautiful and sophisticated artist Ana, and Chris, a renowned American journalist based in Paris.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Promise?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Promise streaming on STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Promise?

The Promise earns 11 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Divisive.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is The Promise worth watching?

The Promise's Midcredits score is the 61st percentile of all films, from 197K ratings across 6 sources. 56% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

61st percentile

Better received than 61% of films

76th percentile among Action62nd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)60th
Approval (how many liked it)61st

64 /100

60th percentile of all films

76th percentile among Action60th percentile among 2010s

Critics 49 · Audience 66

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

56% liked it

61st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Action61st percentile among 2010s
56% rated it 7–1044% rated it 1–6

Critics 51% · Audience 91%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 9 noms overall

97th percentile

196K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Action97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$90M
Opening weekend$4.1M
Domestic gross$8.2M
Worldwide gross$12M

Returned 0.1× its budget — 61st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film tells an important historical story but is hampered by a love triangle that distracts from the central tragedy.

Fans praised

  • Shines a necessary light on a suppressed historical tragedy
  • Exceptional cinematography and period recreation
  • Powerful and moving true-story drama with strong performances

Detractors panned

  • Undermined by political agenda and historical distortion
  • Weak script with a shallow, clichéd love triangle
  • Fails to generate emotional investment or tension

What stands out

Cinematography75

Beautifully shot with stunning period scenery

ActingDivisive62

Strong, committed performances but underutilized in places

AtmosphereDivisive60

Immersive historical setting but lack of emotional grip

Plot and storyDivisive50

Engaging historical narrative vs. messy propaganda

Emotional impactDivisive50

Powerful history but muted by cold romance

PacingDivisive45

Loses focus in second half, tugged in two directions

CharactersDivisive40

Underwritten love triangle, flat central figures

OriginalityDivisive35

Formulaic love-triangle framing, message-driven

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 85 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 47 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 14 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 66 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is The Promise like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
DreadMelancholicTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats the historical tragedy and personal romance with solemn gravity, never undercutting the emotional stakes.
The rideSustained dread from the genocide is punctuated by moments of hope and triumph, with the heaviest emotional weight in the final losses.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Michael's arrival in Constantinople through the genocide and escape.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe tragic love story and genocide leave a somber reflection on survival and remembrance.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeMichael, an Armenian medical student, is caught in the Ottoman genocide and must flee persecution, protecting his loved ones as he struggles to survive.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalFamily bonds
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on surviving genocide and protecting family, with romantic love as a counterpoint that ultimately cannot be sustained.
StanceThe film mourns the lives lost in the Armenian Genocide and the impossibility of saving everyone, with a dual focus on Michael and Chris.

The world

Early 20th centuryUrbanRuralIn transitStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
SettingOttoman Empire, 1915, during the Armenian Genocide

Content guide

Is The Promise okay for kids?

PG-13

The Promise is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic material including war atrocities, violence and disturbing images, and for some sexuality” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (83/100), sexual content at moderate (35/100), language at mild (23/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 94% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland12
  • JapanG
  • Austria12
  • Netherlands16
  • PortugalM/14
  • Russia16+
  • SK15
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 63% of all filmsHeavier than 94% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 98%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 63%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 9%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 86%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Promise have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Promise?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Oscar Isaac
as Mikael Boghosian
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Charlotte Le Bon
as Ana Khesarian
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christian Bale
as Chris Myers
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Daniel Giménez Cacho
as Reverend Dikran Antreassian
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Tom Hollander
as Garin
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Shohreh Aghdashloo
as Marta Boghosian
Marwan Kenzari
as Emre Ogan
Angela Sarafyan
as Maral
Numan Acar
as Mustafa
Igal Naor
as Mesrob

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Promise?

Movies like The Promise include The Killing Fields (1984), Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale I (2011) and Ashes in the Snow (2018). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set during World War I, and several are stories of oppressive states.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its world: war epic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Promise?

813 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: war epic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.