The last 30 minutes were amazing (and so depressing). The first 30 we’re quite dated (really tired of the screaming woman trope). The second act was fine, but I think getting news from the TV is a lazy way to write.
I think this has been surpassed in almost every way by everything it inspired. There is, though, a devastating tale about Cold War fears here, as well as a clear reading about rampant American racism, that pushes this into an upper echelon.
An odd film in that it’s no longer that good, but yet its legacy is truly special.
P.S. Oddly enough, the flight I was on had the Criterion Channel available as part of the in flight entertainment. There were only a handful of films on board, but this was on my list, so it seemed convenient to knock it out. Just wanted to note it here for the record as something that surprised both my wife and me.