Dear Reader: Update, Movie Review Intelligence will discontinue
publishing this website at the end of May (more...)
Search a Movie:
THE ECLIPSEMovie Reviews
Horror drama about a man tormented by the loss of his wife to cancer, who tries to go about his life raising two kids in County Cork, Ireland and even volunteering for the local literary festival. Cast:Ciarán Hinds, Iben Hjejle, Aidan Quinn, Jim Norton, Eanna HardwickeDirector:Conor McPhersonRelease Date:March 26, 2010DVD Release:June 29, 2010From:MagnoliaRating:RLength:1 hr. 28 min.
The Eclipse played in key cities to very good reviews. • Joe Morgenstern wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "...a leisurely and quite lovely drama that honors the conventions of gothic ghost stories without the slightest stain of self-irony." • And Robert W. Butler wrote in the Denver Post, "...a wonderfully nuanced tale of love and loss set in a picturesque Irish coastal town... an exquisite character study of a man in denial." More Reviews Below...
The Eclipse Positive Reviews (30 Reviews, reviews below)
Jake Coyle, Associated Press: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a small, humble gem of a movie that in less than 1 1/2 hours proves McPherson's talents for character and atmosphere fit the screen as much as they do the stage."(See all of Jake Coyle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 577 words, 03/25/10
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: EXCELLENT(cg) "A smart, scary, spine-tinglingly matter-of-fact ghost story.... what holds 'The Eclipse' together is Hinds' sorrowful and moving performance..."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 90 words, 04/02/10
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...slow, thoughtful, and melancholy - at times seeming to forget that a ghost story is supposed to be at least marginally scary. The acting is of the highest caliber..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 645 words, 03/25/10
get our iPhone app... or get our mobile web app...
movie review intelligence
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: MODERATE "...a horror story with few boos, a romance with barely a tingle, a comedy with only sporadic laughs, a tragedy without the requisite heft..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 735 words, 03/26/10
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the Irish coast provides an evocative backdrop, and the actors work hard to balance a mood that fluctuates between stillness and stagnancy."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 138 words, 03/26/10
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...agreeably melancholy, spooky and romantic... finds plenty of heartfelt gravity in its tale of love lost and found on a gothic coast."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 249 words, 03/26/10
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...never resorts to cheap scare tactics in what amounts to a sensitive character study. 'The Eclipse' is well worth seeing for its acting and its tempting cinematography."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 220 words, 03/26/10
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Conor McPherson has long been a great one for a ghost story that gets under your skin in ways that transcend gimmickry.... fine, scary and touching..."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 402 words, 04/09/10
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a satisfyingly scary thriller... subtle and moody, it reminds us that not all ghosts are those of the dearly departed. There are plenty among the living."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 446 words, 04/09/10
Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...not quite a ghost story and not fully a love story but an uneasy amalgam of the two, hardly scary although occasionally, and surprisingly, touching."(See all of Rick Groen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 648 words, 04/09/10
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a tiny wisp of a film... a movie about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances - and that makes its slides into real horror all the more effective."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 375 words, 04/08/10
KEY CITIES (7 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "McPherson has managed a rare hat trick in genre mash-up, fashioning a deeply absorbing movie that balances horror, romance, comedy and observant humanism..."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 333 words, 04/09/10
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "The film is anchored by Hinds' performance - the actor brings a soulful melancholy to the proceedings, but in ways that register subtly..."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 434 words, 04/09/10
Robert W. Butler, Denver Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a wonderfully nuanced tale of love and loss set in a picturesque Irish coastal town during its annual literary festival.... an exquisite character study of a man in denial."(See all of Robert W. Butler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 528 words, 05/14/10
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...unfolds with the muted allusiveness of the best short fiction and the attention to character of a good play. As cinema, it is less sure of itself, but the trade-off feels fair."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 597 words, 04/16/10
Stephen Whitty, Cleveland Plain-Dealer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a mix of two stories. And it shows, uneasily.... Ciaran Hinds is lovely as the ghost-ridden Michael. And kudos go to Aidan Quinn..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 415 words, 05/07/10
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...an unusual and sometimes oddly paced mixture of ghost story (with a handful of well-placed jolts that just might make you scream) and character drama..."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 372 words, 04/16/10
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "...for the most part achieves an affecting charm. McPherson's cast can take more credit for that than his occasionally gothic style -- in particular Ciarán Hinds..."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 169 words, 04/15/10
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: GOOD(cg) "A strange, muted cross between ghost story, middle-aged romance, and character study of a quiet man in mourning, 'The Eclipse' works best as a showcase for Hinds..."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 338 words, 03/25/10
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a tiny wisp of a film... a movie about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances - and that makes its slides into real horror all the more effective."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 375 words, 04/08/10
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Thanks to Aidan Quinn's rich, sensitive performance, the audience would rather focus on the land of the living than the paranormal activity."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 353 words, 04/21/10
Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper: VERY GOOD "The frights may be infrequent, but they're not small, and they never feel out of place.... Rarely has a horror film felt so tender."(See all of Tricia Olszewski's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 318 words, 04/08/10
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: MODERATE "...a horror story with few boos, a romance with barely a tingle, a comedy with only sporadic laughs, a tragedy without the requisite heft..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 735 words, 03/26/10
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...agreeably melancholy, spooky and romantic... finds plenty of heartfelt gravity in its tale of love lost and found on a gothic coast."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 249 words, 03/26/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
John Anderson, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a film of such seductive grace, humor and startling side trips into buttocks-clenching ghastliness that auds won't know what to make of it..."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 745 words, 04/27/09
Doris Toumarkine, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "Quinn's performance, dodges cliche. Hinds and Hjejle are outstanding... McPherson has craftily woven themes of grief, love and the possibility of the unknown..."(See all of Doris Toumarkine's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 520 words, 04/28/09
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "...agreeably melancholy, spooky and romantic... finds plenty of heartfelt gravity in its tale of love lost and found on a gothic coast."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 249 words, 03/26/10
Michael T. Dennis, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD(cg) "Its simple use of basic elements like acting and storytelling are refreshing in a genre that has become so reliant on surprise endings and special effects."(See all of Michael T. Dennis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 958 words, 02/22/10
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: MODERATE "...a horror story with few boos, a romance with barely a tingle, a comedy with only sporadic laughs, a tragedy without the requisite heft..."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 735 words, 03/26/10
12.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Eclipse's reviews are separated by an average 12.6 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.
The Eclipse (30 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Eclipse's reviews cover 44.0% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 12,036 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 401 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Eclipse Coverage, Volume & Length (30 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 13.5 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Eclipse's reviews on average broke 13.5 hours before 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 The Eclipse's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Eclipse (30 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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...
