The hugely awaited biopic of the 16th president Lincoln premiered at a secret screening at the New York Film Festival yesterday. The biopic which stars Daniel Day Lewis follows Abraham Lincolns presidency through the Civil War.

The movie which has been tipped to be a big Oscar contender got mixed reviews from its premiere last night from being called 'the best film Roberto Rossellini never made' to 'best movie for A&E'. At most the response is positive with Day Lewis delivering a great performance as Lincoln but it is Tommy Lee Jones who has received the greatest praised making him a definite shoe in for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. The film will also star Joseph Gordon Levitt as Lincoln's son and Sally Field as his wife who's performance as also been called Oscar worthy.

Scott Feinberg of the Hollywood Reporter said the film 'appears to be Oscar-bait incarnate.' 'Although the film runs two hours and 25 minutes, every scene felt tight and necessary, undoubtedly in large part because Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner penned its script, drawing from a small section of Doris Kearns Goodwin's rigorously researched historical study Team of Rivals' Commenting on Day Lewis performance he added it was every bit as great as Henry Fonda's iconic portrayal in Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), and in many ways better.

Some of the other reactions on Twitter were as follows

Spielberg's LINCOLN is the best film Roberto Rossellini never made. Also one of the best Spielberg did make'  Bilge Ebiri film critic.

Logan Hill, senior editor at GQ wrote 'Spielberg's Lincoln at #NYFF was rock solid monument to Abe, a bounce back from War Horse. Predix: Oscar noms galore. Tommy Lee Jones FTW'

David Ehrlich, film writer for Movies.com wrote 'Abraham Lincoln: Vote Hunter. best movie ever made for A&E? Spielberg restrained. Musty, redundant, bearded. ddl & tlj = great. LINCOLN is Spielberg's smallest film since ALWAYS. best when portraying a man isolated by incalculable burden. script divided against itself. Film is WAY too dull & prosaic to win big prize. Trio of dynamite perfs, but film has no prayer for Oscar unless all else fails'

'I have just seen the MOST extraordinary film directed by Stephen Speilberg & it's called Lincoln. w/ Daniel Day Lewis who will make u forget Anyother actor you've ever seen do Lincoln. It's beyond AMAZing. Tommy Lee Jones is flawless' Whoopi Goldberg

The film is to be released on our shores in January 2013