Dear Reader: Update, Movie Review Intelligence will
continue publishing this website through June (more...)
Search a Movie:
PARKERMovie Reviews
Thriller about a thief with a unique code of professional ethics who assumes a new disguise after being double-crossed by his crew and left for dead. Cast:Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte, Michael Chiklis, Clifton Collins Jr, Sala Baker, Wendell Pierce, Patti LuPone, Emma Booth, Daniel Bernhardt, Kirk Baltz, Michelle Torres, Carlos Carrasco, Lawrence Turner, Alyshia OchseDirector:Taylor HackfordRelease Date:January 25, 2013DVD Release:May 21, 2013From:FilmDistrictRating:RLength:1 hr 58 min
Parker played to fair reviews. • Curt Holman wrote in Atlanta Creative Loafing, "...a softened, kid-gloves take on a charismatic, bare-knuckled character.... the film tries too hard to keep him from seeming too unlikable." More Reviews Below...
Alynda Wheat, People: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Don't hope for heat -- this is no 'Out of Sight'... the actors don't have chemistry so much as camaraderie.... a decent heist movie that'll help pass a dull weekend."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 100 words, 01/31/13
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: WEAK(cg) "Statham is on auto-pilot here, despite the obvious physical demands of the part.... basically, we're just here to ogle J.Lo's world-famous derriere..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 483 words, 01/24/13
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: POOR(cg) "...inspires only disgust. Statham is born for this material. But he plays the role with as much enthusiasm as a paycheck actor going through the motions."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 245 words, 02/01/13
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a pretty damn good crime movie... Statham stomps and chomps through all his action scenes with spectacular vigor while never losing his cool..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 633 words, 01/25/13
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "There's nothing surprising or inventive about 'Parker's' storyline -- it's a straightforward revenge/heist film that hits all the necessary beats..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 732 words, 01/25/13
S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media: WEAK(cg) "Why cast an actress as charismatic as Jennifer Lopez if you're not going to use her skills to the fullest? For that matter, why cast Nick Nolte, too... Age 16."(See all of S. Jhoanna Robledo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 364 words, 01/24/13
we have an app for when you're out and about
get our iPhone app... or get our mobile web app...
movie review intelligence
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...not a great movie, but nonetheless great fun... Ms. Lopez and Mr. Statham achieve a certain screwball energy, lightening the brutality that is the main business."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 822 words, 01/25/13
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "...a little more effort -- from anyone -- might be nice.... Nearly every choice, from the cheesy score to the jittery camerawork, suggests minimal ambitions."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 421 words, 01/25/13
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Screenwriter John J. McLaughlin has rendered a faithful adaptation of 'Flashfire,' one of the 24 novels filled with Parker's meticulous schemes and personal machinations."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 890 words, 01/25/13
Peter Sobczynski, Chicago Sun-Times: WEAK(cg) "The action scenes come across as flat, uninspired and often too grisly for their own good. Worst of all, the film is flat-out dull..."(See all of Peter Sobczynski's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 921 words, 01/26/13
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...this Parker exhibits something of a moral code, but Statham, of the pure panther prowl and vigilant poise, more than makes up for this when placed into action..."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 231 words, 01/30/13
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: WEAK(cg) "...starts off promisingly enough... Evidently all concerned were hoping that J.Lo might rekindle some of the spark of 'Out of Sight'... No such luck."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 428 words, 01/25/13
Kate Taylor, Toronto Globe & Mail: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...hands us our entertainment with the barest of smiles, providing reliable thrills with mirthless efficiency."(See all of Kate Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 497 words, 01/25/13
John Semley, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "Jason Statham's no Lee Marvin, but his ample charms are squandered on a goofy script.... 'Parker's' action scenes are pretty thrilling."(See all of John Semley's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 01/24/13
KEY CITIES (7 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: MODERATE(cg) "With flashes of dark humor (in a script by John J. McLaughlin) and Lopez's sex appeal, 'Parker' the movie, like the man, delivers exactly as promised."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 356 words, 01/26/13
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...requires a willingness to abandon all plausibility. But, hey. Taylor Hackford directs crisply, unpretentiously.... The action is fast and furious..."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 444 words, 01/25/13
Tom Russo, Boston Globe: POOR(cg) "The best we get are modest action diversions... the vengeance isn't thrilling, there's a pointlessly developed non-love triangle, even the glam settings look cheap..."(See all of Tom Russo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 347 words, 01/29/13
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: VERY GOOD(cg) "In a world of pumped up, hyped-up action stars, Statham is one of the few who looks like a genuine man of action.... he gets the job done. And then he moves on."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 461 words, 01/25/13
Soren Andersen, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "It's the old vengeance-is-mine scenario, but handled with skill and no small amount of intelligence by director Taylor Hackford.... a well-constructed heist thriller..."(See all of Soren Andersen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 370 words, 01/26/13
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...it's not without its absurdities.... But Statham, not always the most charismatic of actors, turns out to be a good choice to play the taciturn thief."(See all of Connie Ogle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 527 words, 01/25/13
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...this Parker exhibits something of a moral code, but Statham, of the pure panther prowl and vigilant poise, more than makes up for this when placed into action..."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 231 words, 01/30/13
Kristy Puchko, Cinema Blend: POOR(cg) "The music seems right out of the late 1980s/early '90s action movies. The characters are flat. The plot is meandering and nonsensical.... it's laughable."(See all of Kristy Puchko's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 784 words, 01/25/13
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: MODERATE(cg) "Lopez has lost some of her shine since she kicked ass as a US Marshall in 'Out of Sight.' So has director Taylor Hackford, who was nominated for an Oscar for 'Ray.' "(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 185 words, 01/31/13
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: MODERATE(cg) "Lopez is a good match with Statham... both display limits as performers but also do what they do exceptionally well. Here they deliver to expectations."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 551 words, 01/25/13
John Semley, Slant: WEAK(cg) "Statham's superficial manipulability is put in service of corny capering... vacillates between flat comedy and spiked savagery, the product of a painfully slapdash script..."(See all of John Semley's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 794 words, 01/19/13
John Semley, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "Jason Statham's no Lee Marvin, but his ample charms are squandered on a goofy script.... 'Parker's' action scenes are pretty thrilling."(See all of John Semley's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 01/24/13
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: WEAK(cg) "...takes too many pains to offer a softened, kid-gloves take on a charismatic, bare-knuckled character.... the film tries too hard to keep him from seeming too unlikable."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 506 words, 01/23/13
HIGHBROW PRESS (4 Reviews)
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: POOR "...grace notes are few and far between in Taylor Hackford's brute-force direction, John J. McLaughlin's coarsegrained script and David Buckley's pitiless score... ugly..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 452 words, 01/25/13
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...not a great movie, but nonetheless great fun... Ms. Lopez and Mr. Statham achieve a certain screwball energy, lightening the brutality that is the main business."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 822 words, 01/25/13
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Screenwriter John J. McLaughlin has rendered a faithful adaptation of 'Flashfire,' one of the 24 novels filled with Parker's meticulous schemes and personal machinations."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 890 words, 01/25/13
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
Brian Lowry, Variety: GOOD "Hackford has fashioned the 50-year-old franchise into a neat-fitting outfit for Jason Statham. Crisp and efficient, with the occasional clunky moments..."(See all of Brian Lowry's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 579 words, 01/24/13
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Screenwriter John J. McLaughlin has rendered a faithful adaptation of 'Flashfire,' one of the 24 novels filled with Parker's meticulous schemes and personal machinations."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 890 words, 01/25/13
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "...not a great movie, but nonetheless great fun... Ms. Lopez and Mr. Statham achieve a certain screwball energy, lightening the brutality that is the main business."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 822 words, 01/25/13
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: POOR "...grace notes are few and far between in Taylor Hackford's brute-force direction, John J. McLaughlin's coarsegrained script and David Buckley's pitiless score... ugly..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 452 words, 01/25/13
19.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Parker's reviews are separated by an average 19.6 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Parker (35 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Parker's reviews cover 63.1% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 17,133 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 490 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 45.5 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Parker's reviews on average broke 45.5 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Parker's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Mobile Web App version 1.2 shows a list of all current movies and review information. You can click through to the cast, director, synopsis, release date and rating on page two, plus individual reviews on page three. The information is updated on a live/real-time basis. You can also search our database of films. Designed for when you're on the move and want the latest info, this app will work on any mobile web browser. From your mobile device -- only from a mobile device -- open our Mobile Web App here...
