I'm a film buff like anyone else on this site, and I try to respect the classics and all, but at a certain point a three-hour-long incredibly racist silent movie is just torture to sit through. Or a cure for insomnia. I understand the influence it had on filmmaking - in fact I read a book on the subject that was far more interesting than the film itself - and that's why I tossed a few points its way. But really, I hated watching it. Sorry if I've failed any film buffs out there.

Watched over the course of two days because I could only tolerate it in small sections. Not only is it abhorrently racist, it's also boring as fuck. Way too many characters, none of whom are interesting, and the complete failure to tell a compelling story. I get that it's historically important, but that doesn't make it any less tortuous to watch. It's just painful.

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Extremely well-made and important in the advancement of film as an art form but deeply racist. I can only recommend this if you can ignore the message and view it as an historical artifact. It's almost impossible to give this movie an objective rating.

I'm happy I watched this. Don't get me wrong: it is frighteningly racist and bigoted, in the most horrible ways. But it is technically a marvel of cinema; for heaven's sake, it makes one side with the KKK, an example of pure exploitation and manipulation. But the fact that it does so despite one's prejudices should give one pause over cinema's true powers. For a modern viewer it's a mindfuck.

There is some great filmmaking to find in this film, impresive special effects and laborous scenes, but the second part is quite disturbing.

The most controversial film of all time. Hindered as much as it helped...

it may be racist, but that's acceptable considering the book it's based on. the production values are wonderful and it features some of the best pre-20's combat that there is, so it's not one to pass up (especially because of it's title as the oldest blockbuster made) do not miss this movie, but do not deny it because of it's flaws. (i find it amazing that this movie is in excess of three hours.)

It's tough not to see this as anything but monumentally stupid, bigoted hate propaganda even by the standards of the early 1900s; as such I find it quite easy to dismiss its reputed importance in cinema history or technical successes (it's dull and overlong, anyway). Those who suggest looking past its awful racism in the 21st century are only making themselves complicit with the ignorance on display here. Movie buff nerds need to pull their heads out of their asses and admit this is filth.

savas ve takip sahneleri, irkcilik

We aren't racist, right? And this movie doesn't change our minds about that, right? Ok. So now we can move on and talk about how innovative and epic this is. Not the greatest of movies but a great one nevertheless.

Completely disgusting in content, overlong with some good battle scenes. I hated it, but in no way do I regret watching it. The racism lurking in the first half comes in full view in the second and sheds a light on the hypocrisy and tunnel vision that drives racism, especially in the southern U.S.

This movie is so racist, it's funny. All the black people are basically either scheming villains or drooling idiots, and the only people who stand any chance of saving the country are the KKK.

Interesting primarily as a footnote in history. This was epic for its time, but it's sad that The Birth of a Nation was made by a complete racist. A very slanted view of American history, complete with a scene showing the chivalry of the KKK. Imagine this sort of epic in another person's deserving hands.

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Without doubt worth a watch, but it has to be seen in the context in which and when it was made and with an awareness of all the controversy around it.

Brilliantly made, but with blatant racism. It isn't always as difficult to watch as some have made it seem, though.

Oh Griffith, you're causing me all kinds of consternation. I thought we were friends. The Birth of a Nation is an engaging, well-made film, but its horrible content puts the critic in one hell of a bind. Rank it too low, and you ignore its contribution to cinema. Rank it too high, and you ignore its awful racism. I've never actually felt any distress before ranking a film until now. Fuck you D.W.

Culturally this is a very important but its a tough one to watch. Even if I accepted the racism of being from its time, the film is still an overlong, bloated historical epic. I would even question its importance in terms of cinematic techniques; the film Griffith made in response to the controversy of this one, Intolerance, is far more significant for its experimentation which you can see in modern cinema today.

What a surprise! I knew this was gonna be racist but no one told me it would be boring as shit too!

Impossible to rate. It is incredibly long and often very, very boring. And of course, racist. BUT if you imagine that instead of KKK and blacks, there are, I don't know, Rebels and evil Empire, it is more than watchable and, at times, even thrilling, especially considering when it was made. Important movie. I'm glad I saw it, although I would never watch it again.

This is a vile and detestable film - unforgivably so because it has the gall to pretend to preach peace - but it's important to remember that it is also an incredibly well-made one, in a lot of ways that are almost indistiguishable to the modern film viewer. The medium would look very different without this movie, and the evil genius of it can't be swept under the rug. It has to be addressed head-on.

I have no objection to the view that one should put politics aside when rating a movie, but I'm sick of the racism of this film being described as merely naive, or of its time. It is calculated white supremacist propaganda and was recognized as such from the beginning. Theatres refused to screen it, there were riots and a wave of racial violence, and it inspired the rebirth of the KKK. And despite being a milestone, it's not very interesting except as a historical document of American racism.

Whatever anybody says about Griffith and the other key creative people on this production being racist boogers, this is actually a fairly worthwhile movie, even today

This is hard to rate. It's cinematically a masterpiece, but it's so incredibly, blatantly racist. I knew it would be, but.. holy crap. The plot is a bat-shit insane vile and racist hypothetical scenario pretending to be historical. It made me laugh a few times, but by the end of it I felt quite sick and I'm not easily offended. I would generally say "AVOID", but please don't, as this is incredible filmmaking. Just ignore the plot. Also, it's far, far too long.

This movie sucked. Not because of the racism by the way, but because of how fucking boring every second was. In fact the hilarity at how racist it really is was the only part that was mildly amusing. I can give respect for innovation, but seriously, thank heavens film has evolved beyond this 3 hour snorefest.

Racist piece of crap.

A big vision w/ some technical achievements, mostly in editing. The black controlled house scene was as good as a Chappelle's Show sketch. Unfortunately though, the remaining 175 minutes of hysterically rendered rich white people problems are a real drag.

Significant in its visual and technical approach, dated from its ideological perspective and all too racist to measure a real birth of a nation.

On the one hand, this movie pretty much gave birth to the feature length film as we know it. On the other hand, it's a naive, simplistic, racist, intensely boring movie. Take that as you will.

Reinventing cinema, reinforcing racist stereotypes and taking no prisoners! Uhm. It's definitely a milestone.

One great film (though not completely accurate). Propoganda, but not much difference then what Spike Lee and Micheal Moore are spewing today. At Least Griffith did it on an epic scale. Still holds up as a masterpiece after almost 100 years.

Being first is noteworthy, and I respect the director for his work, but this is not a good movie by today's standards.

Fairly boring, and at least retroactively speaking, everybody comes off as assholes at some point, including the North, South, blacks, whites, and John Wilkes Booth.

I don't get the people who say it's well made. I mean I've watched Triumph of the Will and that was passable, disregarding the content matter. Birth of a Nation is just obnoxiously long and atrociously paced, the second half is so outrageous as to be hilarious except for the realization that it's all very earnest. Skip to those parts if you want to peek inside the mind of a racist cracker.

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