: Jürgen Vogel is highly commended for his role as Rainer Wenger, an unorthodox teacher who begins to lose track of his own ego and conscience as his influence over his students grows.
: Critics from The Guardian and The New York Times highlight that setting the story in modern-day Germany adds a chilling layer of tension, as the students initially believe they are too "knowledgeable" to ever repeat their country's past mistakes.
Most critics and audiences praise the film for its realistic and unsettling exploration of groupthink and human psychology.