'Number 24' Reviews: "Despite a few teething issues with the editing, the film gets the message across without compromising the story"

    On January 1, 2025, Netflix released 'Number 24', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "On the brink of the Second World War, a young Norwegian man's drive to resist the Nazis sets a new course for his future -- and the future of his country." The ensemble cast includes Lars Berge, Ines Høysæter Asserson, and Erik Madsen. But what did the critics say?

Photo by Erik McLean

    Daniel Hart of Ready Steady Cut says, "Number 24 powerfully portrays Gunnar Sønsteby’s heroic fight for freedom during World War II. Despite a few teething issues with the editing, the film gets the message across without compromising the story." Adding, "Number 24 is heavy on one subject in particular—freedom. During a time when our freedoms are questioned and what it means, the film opens up with Gunnar’s stance on the human concept while in conversation with his close friend, Erling Solheim. Their conversation took place before World War Two, but the rise of German Nazism was prevalent. Gunnar is surprised at how Erling’s ideology (which leans more toward Nazi ideas) trumps the requirement for freedom. He’s dismayed that Erling would consider a world whereby people are not free to have an opinion (and in the case of the premise of their discussion, “even if they are communists”). Clearly, the director has a modern-day view of freedom and free speech and mostly extrapolates that aspect of Gunnar’s personality. In 2025, we hopelessly debate what freedom and free speech mean, and the debate is aggressively circulating on social media. I’m a free-speech purist. Number 24 enforced my belief in this due to Gunnar Sønsteby’s character examination. The film takes his stance seriously: He refused to enjoy the fruits of life until Norway was free again: no women, no alcohol, no nuances of enjoyment. It was all-purpose, and the movie displays this soberingly and uncompromisingly."

   Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com notes, "The framing device for “Number 24” is obvious but no less effective: Through Sønsteby’s lecture we jump back and forth from his presentation to his memories. We leap backwards to 1937 Rjukan. Sønsteby (Sjur Vatne Brean) is hiking in the mountains with his best friend Erling Solheim (Jakob Maanum Trulsen). Elsewhere, the Nazis are burning books, but only one of these men is frightened. Solheim believes the Nazis aren’t so bad; they’re only targeting communists. Sønsteby, as you can guess, has other thoughts on the matter. The ideological split between friends will fade into the background but will nevertheless be felt in every scene of this nerve-wracking drama." Continuing, "A different type of apprehension affects the contemporary-set scenes. Sønsteby‘s relationship to these students isn’t a one-way street of him talking at them. They also levy questions at him, probing the morality of his wartime operations, especially the copious assassinations he took part in. Sønsteby doesn’t back down. To him, the situation is black and white; it’s either freedom or oppression. But one young woman tests his resolve, asking him a question that nearly opens every mental and emotional compartment he’s locked away over the decades. Anderson turns to a bold needle drop of Radiohead’s “Exit Music (For a Film)” that in some fashion works (it’s emotionally gripping) but also feels tonally inadequate (the anachronistic music is misplaced in such a detailed period piece). In other parts of the film, Anderson does balance the methodical nature of this historical figure (the unhurried Trulsen is indispensable) with the charged subject matter. There are grim moments of torture and betrayals, and some surprising humor. When one student asks Sønsteby why he and his comrades didn’t follow Gandhi’s non-violent teachings rather than resorting to murder, Sønsteby frankly replies: “Gandhi didn’t face the Nazis.” That’s the closest Anderson comes to interrogating Sønsteby’s actions or his personality. Instead, the director crafts a mostly patriotic picture of a man solely dedicated to duty. It’s an uncompromising approach that often makes for a stirring watch even through a narrow lens."