Reservoir Dogs 1992

Critics score:
90 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: A much-acclaimed revisionist gangster film that I found to have more style than substance. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Tarantino's palpable enthusiasm, his unapologetic passion for what he's created, reinvigorates this venerable plot and, mayhem aside, makes it involving for longer than you might suspect. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: A brash, brutal crime-caper film, Reservoir Dogs has enough raw energy for 10 motion pictures and more than enough rough stuff to traumatize the sensitive. But not only does Dogs have teeth, it has brains. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: A small, modestly budgeted crime movie of sometimes dazzling cinematic pyrotechnics and over-the- top dramatic energy. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: It's unclear whether this macho thriller does anything to improve the state of the world or our understanding of it, but it certainly sets off enough rockets to hold and shake us for every one of its 99 minutes. Read more

Ty Burr, Entertainment Weekly: You may not like the terms Tarantino sets, but you have to admit he succeeds on them. Read more

Terrence Rafferty, New Yorker: The film, for all its mayhem and fury, is too distant to be truly disturbing; it treats everything with an impatient, born-too-late shrug. Read more

Kathleen Carroll, New York Daily News: The exaggerated raw violence of "Reservoir Dogs" leaves one feeling cheated in the end. For this movie isn't really about anything. It's just a flashy, stylistically daring exercise in cinematic mayhem. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: The writing is crisp and clean, providing line after line of snappy dialogue designed to leave the viewer alternately pondering and laughing aloud. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie feels like it's going to be terrific, but Tarantino's script doesn't have much curiosity about these guys. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: It's dynamite on a short fuse. Read more

Wally Hammond, Time Out: A tour de force. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: Undeniably impressive pic grabs the viewer by the lapels and shakes hard, but it also is about nothing other than a bunch of macho guys and how big their guns are. Read more

Hal Hinson, Washington Post: It's brutal, it's funny and you won't forget it. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: A nod to such noir crime classics as Stanley Kubrick's "The Killing," the movie's more than savvy sensationalism. Suspense, horror and humor are expertly interwoven. Read more