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THE TALL MAN (2012)Movie Reviews
Thriller about an isolated mining town where children are vanishing, abducted by a mysterious entity the locals call The Tall Man. Cast:Jessica Biel, Jodelle Ferland, Stephen McHattie, William B. Davis, Samantha Ferris, Colleen WheelerDirector:Pascal LaugierRelease Date:August 31, 2012DVD Release:September 25, 2012From:Image EntertainmentRating:RLength:1 hr. 40 min.
The Tall Man (2012) played in limited release to mixed reviews. • Kyle Smith wrote in the New York Post, "...spits out enough scares and twists to maintain our interest, but the film's psycho-sociological layer is almost as cheesy and unconvincing as its low-rent action scenes." • And Scott Tobias wrote for the AV Club, "...novel, thought-provoking..." More Reviews Below...
The Tall Man (2012) Positive Reviews (11 Reviews, reviews below)
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "...has the makings of a classic thriller.... [but] the movie draws on too long, and eventually goes past at least two potential endings and heads right into the ridiculous."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 412 words, 08/31/12
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...conspiracies pile on top of one another until the narrative spins out of control.... 'The Tall Man' becomes less gripping as it grows more ridiculous."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 193 words, 08/31/12
Kyle Smith, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "...spits out enough scares and twists to maintain our interest, but the film's psycho-sociological layer is almost as cheesy and unconvincing as its low-rent action scenes."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 132 words, 08/31/12
Chris Packham, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...requests that you accept a way more boring, third set of assumptions. Which, to paraphrase Samuel L. Jackson, pretty much makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'mption.' "(See all of Chris Packham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 212 words, 08/29/12
KEY CITIES (1 Review)
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: VERY GOOD(cg) "...if you're a parent who ever, for one second, lost sight of your child at a playground - 'The Tall Man' will tap into your darkest fears. And then make them even darker."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 483 words, 08/31/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Chris Packham, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...requests that you accept a way more boring, third set of assumptions. Which, to paraphrase Samuel L. Jackson, pretty much makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'mption.' "(See all of Chris Packham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 212 words, 08/29/12
Scott Tobias, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...turns on a well-planted twist that leaves horror behind for psychological intensity and a much larger and more ambitious plot mechanism... it's novel, thought-provoking..."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 379 words, 08/30/12
Richard Larson, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "...illustrates the problem of class mobility with a dark, troubling premise that holds a harsh light up to our own assumptions and expectations..."(See all of Richard Larson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 585 words, 08/30/12
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...conspiracies pile on top of one another until the narrative spins out of control.... 'The Tall Man' becomes less gripping as it grows more ridiculous."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 193 words, 08/31/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Geoff Berkshire, Daily Variety: GOOD "Director Pascal Laugier clearly relishes playing with audience expectations... skillfully parses out key reveals to command interest in the continuously evolving narrative."(See all of Geoff Berkshire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 08/12/12
Elizabeth Kerr, Hollywood Reporter: MODERATE "...a twisting horror-thriller.... once again Pascal Laugier shows off a knack for arresting images but a leaden touch when it comes to narrative."(See all of Elizabeth Kerr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 165 words, 03/20/12
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...conspiracies pile on top of one another until the narrative spins out of control.... 'The Tall Man' becomes less gripping as it grows more ridiculous."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 193 words, 08/31/12
20.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Tall Man (2012)'s reviews are separated by an average 20.2 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 Tall Man (2012) (11 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Tall Man (2012)'s reviews cover 12.1% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 3,535 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 321 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Tall Man (2012) Coverage, Volume & Length (11 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 8 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Tall Man (2012)'s reviews on average broke 8 days 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 Tall Man (2012)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Tall Man (2012) (11 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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