Editing The Dam Busters (film) (section)

===Critical===
Reviews upon its release were positive. ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' described the film as having great attention to detail.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://variety.com/1954/film/reviews/the-dam-busters-1200417808/ | title=The Dam Busters| date=January 1955}}</ref>

Over time, the film's reputation has grown and is now regarded as a beloved classic of British cinema.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/classic-british/greatest-war-movie/ | title=Is this the greatest war film of all time?| newspaper=The Telegraph| date=2018-04-06| last1=Freer| first1=Ian}}</ref> The British Film Institute placed ''The Dam Busters'' as the 68th greatest British film. In 2004, the magazine ''[[Total Film]]'' named ''The Dam Busters'' the 43rd greatest British film of all time. In a 2015 review, ''[[The Guardian]]'' stated that ''The Dam Busters'' remains very well made and entertaining.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/07/the-dam-busters-film-reel-history | title=The Dam Busters: Hits its targets – and doesn't dumb down| newspaper=The Guardian|location=London| date=2015-08-07| last1=Tunzelmann| first1=Alex von}}</ref> The film holds a [[List of films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes|100% rating]] with an average rating of 7.9/10 on [[Rotten Tomatoes]], based on 11 reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dam Busters |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dam_busters |access-date=17 January 2023 |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] }}</ref> David Parkinson of ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' gave the film three out of five, describing the film as "patriotic and spirit-lifting".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/dam-busters-review/ | title=The Dam Busters| date=31 March 2006}}</ref> A review commented, "It is testament to Anderson's authoritative, quiet guidance that the performances are largely realistic, and multi-dimensional."<ref>http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/483144/index.html British Film Institute Online, accessed 22 May 2024</ref>

Richard Todd considered the film as one of his favourites of all those that he appeared in, and went on to appear at many Dambusters-themed events.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Diamond anniversary of the Dam Busters|url=https://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk/news/11776755.sitting-next-to-dam-busters-star-richard-todd-as-he-watched-the-film-and-meeting-the-raf-veterans-who-flew-in-the-raids/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Borehamwood Times|date=6 February 2015 }}</ref>