The film received generally positive reviews from critics. As of October 2021[update], 88% of the eight reviews compiled by Rotten Tomatoes are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10.[15] The film has also attracted social and political controversies. Stephen Dalton, writing for The Hollywood Reporter, observed that Moura presents Marighella as a martyr for liberal values even though the real Marighella was a self-proclaimed far-left Marxist.[16] Marighella's ethnicity was also debated. He is portrayed as black in the film and played by a black actor. Many critics noted, however, that Marighella was actually mixed-race (his father was an Italian immigrant).[17] Moura responded that "there's no way to discuss any social issue in Brazil without talking about racial issues. For me, Marighella had to be black."[17]
The movie was subject to politicized ratings on IMDb, leading the website to note that "unusual voting activity [had been detected]... An alternate weighting calculation has been applied."[18] In 2022, IMDb offers an aggregate 6.6 (out of 10) ranking. Conservative digital activists low-ranked the film, which was countered by progressive activists and artists aligned with Moura offering high scores;[19][20] in 2022, 95% of the film's rankings are at the extreme of 1 or 10. This distribution suggests that the majority of evaluations were based on ideology rather than cinematic quality; IMDb removed the activists' "critiques."[21]
