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THE VIRAL FACTORMovie Reviews
English and Cantonese language action drama about an international security agent trying to stop criminals from releasing a deadly virus. Cast:Jay Chou, Nicholas Tse, Andy Tien, Crystal Lee, Elaine Jin, Liu Kai-chiDirector:Dante LamRelease Date:January 20, 2012DVD Release:August 28, 2012From:China LionLength:2 hr 2 min
The Viral Factor played in key cities to fair reviews. • Phil Brown wrote in Toronto Now, "...whenever the bullets and bloodshed slow down long enough for characters to interact, the film falls apart... Some action scenes are undeniably impressive, though..." • And Brett Michel wrote in the Boston Phoenix, "Yes, standard stuff, but Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse have the chops for this brand of socky." More Reviews Below...
The Viral Factor Positive Reviews (11 Reviews, reviews below)
The Viral Factor has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (6 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: WEAK "...wants to be both an action movie and a soap opera. But the merging of the two genres by Dante Lam, a director based in Hong Kong, is clumsy, and so is the film."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 201 words, 01/20/12
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "Lam is clearly working a John Woo vibe here... [but] there's little of Woo's instinctual feel for where mayhem and melodrama intersect."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 235 words, 01/20/12
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...just about everything that can happen in an action movie does happen... This does not make it good drama... but it helps keep it from being boring."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 228 words, 01/18/12
Stephen Cole, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...one wishes director Dante Lam ('The Beast Stalker') could have at least had some giddy fun smashing all his toys around.... tediously overwrought and drably made..."(See all of Stephen Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 357 words, 01/20/12
Phil Brown, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...whenever the bullets and bloodshed slow down long enough for characters to interact, the film falls apart... Some action scenes are undeniably impressive, though..."(See all of Phil Brown's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 191 words, 01/19/12
KEY CITIES (2 Reviews)
Mark Jenkins, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...features an elaborate framing device, a young girl in danger, outlaws motivated primarily by family loyalty and an over-complicated plot that, incredibly, pays off."(See all of Mark Jenkins's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 309 words, 01/20/12
Tom Long, Detroit News: GOOD(cg) "Director Dante Lam is John Woo via Michael Bay; he doesn't want to win you over, he wants to beat you up and make you crazy.... 'The Viral Factor' does just that."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 03/09/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (5 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice/LA Weekly: FAIR "...just about everything that can happen in an action movie does happen... This does not make it good drama... but it helps keep it from being boring."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 228 words, 01/18/12
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...gets the job done from a run-and-gun standpoint.... Yes, standard stuff, but Jay Chou and Nicholas Tse have the chops for this brand of sake."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 160 words, 01/19/12
Nick Schager, Slant: WEAK(cg) "...cares only for stock tropes and devices... a drama that, given every dilemma's obvious upbeat and/or faux-tragic outcome, is nothing more than a transparent put-on."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 412 words, 01/18/12
Phil Brown, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...whenever the bullets and bloodshed slow down long enough for characters to interact, the film falls apart... Some action scenes are undeniably impressive, though..."(See all of Phil Brown's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 191 words, 01/19/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: WEAK "...wants to be both an action movie and a soap opera. But the merging of the two genres by Dante Lam, a director based in Hong Kong, is clumsy, and so is the film."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 201 words, 01/20/12
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "Lam is clearly working a John Woo vibe here... [but] there's little of Woo's instinctual feel for where mayhem and melodrama intersect."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 235 words, 01/20/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Maggie Lee, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...has all the action-junkie goods and then some, including the most jaw-dropping scenes of plummeting in recent Hong Kong stunt choreography."(See all of Maggie Lee's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 909 words, 01/20/12
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "Lam is clearly working a John Woo vibe here... [but] there's little of Woo's instinctual feel for where mayhem and melodrama intersect."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 235 words, 01/20/12
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: WEAK "...wants to be both an action movie and a soap opera. But the merging of the two genres by Dante Lam, a director based in Hong Kong, is clumsy, and so is the film."(See all of Neil Genzlinger's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 201 words, 01/20/12
17.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Viral Factor's reviews are separated by an average 17.7 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 Viral Factor (11 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Viral Factor's reviews cover 10.9% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 3,552 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 323 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 33.3 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Viral Factor's reviews on average broke 33.3 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 The Viral Factor's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Viral Factor (11 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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