Andy Serkis’ Epic War Film Scores Big on Rotten Tomatoes: Critics Rave!

Andy Serkis’ latest war film is garnering praise from film critics.

While Serkis is most famously recognized for his portrayal of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy—a role he will revisit in his forthcoming directorial project, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum—his career spans a diverse array of genres. These include superhero movies like The Batman (2022) and space adventures such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) and the Andor series. Although war films have been a rarer venture for Serkis, his latest project is set to alter that trajectory.

With its premiere set for July 3, Serkis’ new film, Young Washington, has already received an initial Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 73% based on 11 reviews, a figure that could shift with additional critiques. A Popcornmeter rating is expected post-release.

Directed by Jon Erwin, Young Washington explores the early military career of George Washington during the French and Indian War, featuring William Franklyn-Miller in the lead role and Serkis as Edward Braddock. The cast also includes Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammer, and Mary-Louise Parker.

The reviews are mixed, but the general consensus points to Young Washington being a conventional and somewhat plain narrative, yet it still offers sufficient entertainment value. James Parker of The Atlantic commends the film for its detailed characterization of Washington, describing him as “petulant, virginal, ramrod-straight, and bristling with awkwardness and ambition. He is callow, unformed. Imperfect, in a word.”

Michael Clark from Epoch Times applauds the film’s structure and praises Erwin for casting an unknown in the lead, suggesting that a more recognizable actor might have skewed viewer expectations.

Conversely, Brian Orndorf’s review on Blu-ray.com criticizes the film as “incredibly mediocre,” pointing out the dull war strategy discussions and a reliance on “television-style” dramatization of events. He likens the film’s intensity to that of a middle school project.

Not all reviews mention it, but Young Washington has stirred some controversy over alleged use of generative AI in its battle scenes, though this has not been confirmed. Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth describes the AI effects as “unmistakable, hideous,” and later reiterates their obviousness.

For Serkis, Young Washington is a significant step up from his 2025 directorial and acting venture in Animal Farm, which was poorly received by critics and audiences alike, managing only a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite controversies, his new war movie marks an improvement.

The ultimate reception of Young Washington by audiences remains uncertain. While it currently holds a favorable critics’ score, the narrative and its reception could evolve, especially given the mixed reactions it has provoked so far.