The General 1998

Janet Maslin, New York Times: The black-and-white tones (shot on color stock) are so rich that the ski masks of burglars wind up looking like velvet. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: I can no longer stomach the premise in so many Anglo-American crime pictures that mavericks are admirable simply because they're mavericks Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Cahill is played by Brendan Gleeson, an actor of blustery ferocity whose greasy hair, piggy jowls, and lumpish, slovenly physique would make him look harmless were it not for the angry dark pools of his eyes. Read more

Globe and Mail: Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Veteran director John Boorman weaves together real-life incidents and fictional anecdotes to create a fascinating portrait of a man who was both more human and more humane than the legends about him indicate. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Boorman's film is shot in wide-screen black and white, and as it often does, black and white emphasizes the characters and the story, instead of setting them awash in atmosphere. Read more

Charles Taylor, Salon.com: Gleeson is one of those rare actors who has an instinctive rapport with the audience from the moment he appears on-screen. Read more

Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle: Gleeson plays Cahill as an ordinary man who does this stuff because he's good at it. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: All the performances are impressive, but Gleeson and Voight are especially memorable, lending an almost tragic air of inexorability to Cahill and Kenny's cat-and-mouse games. Read more

Derek Elley, Variety: A movie that says more about the rebellious Irish psyche than a heap of overtly political pictures. Read more

Amy Taubin, Village Voice: The General is a refined, traditional movie about a character who is never more traditional than when he imagines himself outside the law. It's a great paradox, but it barely comes alive on the screen. Read more