Critic Reviews

Magic (1978) Rank 5 Reviews

Expert Review Summary

Movie critics combined give Magic (1978) a score of 3.0846 out of 4

based on (13) reviews

Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating

Excellent

(5)

Very Good

(7)

Good

(1)

Fair

(0)

Poor

(0)

Reviews by Score:

FulvueDrive-in.com (Chuck O'Leary)

A very well-crafted suspense-thriller that unfolds with one dramatically tense scene after another. Hopkins in superb. ...read the complete Magic movie review at FulvueDrive-in.com (Chuck O'Leary)

NightsAndWeekends.com (Kristin Dreyer Kramer)

It may not be a horror classic on the same level as Psycho, but if you enjoy a good psychological thriller, Hopkins alone makes Magic worth your time. ...read the complete Magic movie review at NightsAndWeekends.com (Kristin Dreyer Kramer)

filmcritic.com

The work of early Anthony Hopkins is always worth a gamble, and Magic is easily one of his quirkiest films. Hopkins plays a magician/puppeteer, and any time a ventriloquist's dummy makes it into a picture, trouble can't be far behind. The trouble here ...read the complete Magic movie review at filmcritic.com

Channel 4 Film (Richard Luck)

Although it's well-handled by Attenborough and features decent supporting turns from Ann-Margret and Ed Lauter, the key source of Magic's terror is the fact that ventriloquists' dummies are and always will be disturbing. ...read the complete Magic movie review at Channel 4 Film (Richard Luck)

Film Threat (Rory L. Aronsky)

Because of Hopkins, because of Ann-Margret (who hardly looks like that Ann-Margret, adeptly proving herself as an occasional dramatic actress), and because of Burgess Meredith as well as Fats the dummy, "Magic" is one of the top-notch films of the 1970s. ...read the complete Magic movie review at Film Threat (Rory L. Aronsky)

TV Guide's Movie Guide (--)

Magic has few scary moments and is really a rather maudlin examination of a nervous breakdown. ...read the complete Magic movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (--)

Exclaim! (--)

When did clowns, dolls and dummies become such horrifying images of our imagination? It seems these once friendly entertainers of adults and children alike can't shake their bad raps after films such as Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Child's Play. ...read the complete Magic movie review at Exclaim! (--)

DVD Talk (Stuart Galbraith IV)

Magic achieves much more than its generally credited with, and except for that nagging, almost ruinous scene, is a smart, subtle thriller. ...read the complete Magic movie review at DVD Talk (Stuart Galbraith IV)

Eat My Brains

Dark Sky Films have done justice to this masterwork with a gorgeous anomorphic widescreen transfer and a host of insightful extras including a documentary about the art of ventriloquism. ...read the complete Magic movie review at Eat My Brains

DVD Verdict (Brett Cullum)

This movie is better than that Crash crap you made me watch after it. ...read the complete Magic movie review at DVD Verdict (Brett Cullum)

filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Odd combo, but it's creepy and generally works. ...read the complete Magic movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Film Freak Central Review (Walter Chaw)

The revelation that practitioners are self-taught and come to it pre-puberty says everything there needs to be said on the subject. ...read the complete Magic movie review at Film Freak Central Review (Walter Chaw)

New York Times (Vincent Canby)