Dark Matter 2008

Maureen M. Hart, Chicago Tribune: The film does a fine job of displaying the contrasts between these tense, formalized Chinese students and the faux populist American academics. Read more

Logan Hill, New York Magazine/Vulture: Director Chen Shi-Zheng is inconsistent from one scene to the next, alternating cliches with convincing, specific details. The film never quite earns its whopper of a finale. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: First-time director Chen Shi-Zheng shows great sensitivity to the pressure and isolation felt by Chinese brains at American universities, and the relationship between Liu and Quinn provides a rare look at the intellectual serfdom of graduate study. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: An unsuccessful mix of drama and social warning. Post-Virginia Tech, Dark Matter seems merely naive. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: It is easy to see the film as two movies crammed together, neither of them being very good. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Don't be fooled by the presence of Meryl Streep in the cast. This glum, inert psychological drama features little of her presence - and could have used much more. Read more

Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly: Liu Ye is too inexpressive for his role's demands, and the movie doesn't build to his downfall: It just zaps itself there. Read more

John Anderson, Newsday: It concludes in a way that will have you asking whether the ending was misguided, or maybe it was just the rest of the movie. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: Director Chen Shi-Zheng's film has a graceful energy, and three strong performances help make this serene drama - and its shocking conclusion - quietly moving. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: There's little in Billy Shebar's script, the rambling direction by theater and opera helmer Chen Shi-Zheng - or Liu Ye's impassive performance as the student. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: It's an inelegant experiment that captures many intriguing moments as they pass, but ends up utterly baffled by the question of how its delightful central character becomes a tabloid-ready monster. Read more

Reyhan Harmanci, San Francisco Chronicle: There is nothing wrong with taking inspiration from actual events, but it's a tricky business, and Dark Matter does no one right by sticking to the shocking conclusion. Read more

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out: Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: A middling academic drama that passes pleasantly enough for roughly an hour before detouring into a tacked-on tragic climax. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: Dark Matter's insights go no deeper than 'chickens coming home to roost' banality. Read more