Critic Reviews

Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) Rank 2 Reviews

Expert Review Summary
Movie critics combined give Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) a score of 2.8891 out of 4
based on (357) reviews
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1
Fair
(5)
Poor
0
Poor
(0)
Reviews by Score:
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for TV Guide's Movie Guide (Maitland McDonagh)TV Guide's Movie Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) (Randy Shulman)Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) (Randy Shulman)
Manchurian Candidate fizzles out like an Alka-Seltzer releasing its last carbonated bubble -- we never even make it to the middle of our seat, let alone the edge. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) (Randy Shulman)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)
With such a paint-by-numbers screenplay and generally uninspired performances . . . it's nowhere near horrible, but it resides of the realm of the completely forgettable ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Brian Mckay)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Boxoffice Magazine (Mark Keizer)Boxoffice Magazine (Mark Keizer)
Demme has crafted a sophisticated and creepy adult thriller anchored by blistering performances from Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Mark Keizer)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Jam! Movies (Bruce Kirkland)Jam! Movies (Bruce Kirkland)
So how does Demme's version stand up just on its own? Reasonably well. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Jam! Movies (Bruce Kirkland)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Arizona Republic (Bill Muller)Arizona Republic (Bill Muller)
Demme never captures the clammy paranoia of the original, instead settling for a competent but largely hollow reinvention. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Arizona Republic (Bill Muller)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.32 out of 4 stars for Political Film Society Political Film Society
The Manchurian Candidate was released but quickly withdrawn because of a possible adverse impact on the public, which was perceived to be more credulous in those days; the film was reissued in 1988, but the black-and-white format placed the film outside ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Political Film Society
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Fantastica Daily (Mervius)Fantastica Daily (Mervius)
The Manchurian Candidate has its virtues, and is okay as remakes go, but the film doesn’t really compare favorably when held up against the original. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Fantastica Daily (Mervius)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)
I know that the easy way for people to discredit my opinion is to say that I'm merely throwing sour grapes at a film I was destined to dislike because they're remaking a favorite. Perhaps there's some truth to this -- I cannot be sure -- but I do know ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for San Jose Mercury News (Bruce Newman)San Jose Mercury News (Bruce Newman)
As literal-minded and dramatically flaccid as its predecessor was allusive and taut. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at San Jose Mercury News (Bruce Newman)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
While Demme's Manchurian Candidate may be unnecessary, it's a worthy homage to the original; lacking the first film's spark but containing smarts of its own. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Salon (Stephanie Zacharek)Salon (Stephanie Zacharek)
Toothless, gutless, one-note political movies like Jonathan Demme's The Manchurian Candidate, a picture that purports to have a galvanizing, liberal-minded theme (big business is taking over our country and our lives) but is really just ploddingly ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Salon (Stephanie Zacharek)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Bob BloomBob Bloom
Bruno Ganz, Simon McBurney and Vera Farmiga. Director of photography TalFujimoto. Based upon the film screenplay by George Axelrod. Based upon a novel byRichard Condon. Screenplay by Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris. Directed byJonathan Demme. Rated R. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Bob Bloom
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Matt NollerMatt Noller
reportedly because I haven't seen it, and am unable to report on itsquality. A lot of people have complained about the film being remade, thatsuch an act would reduce the original into nothing more than a rotethriller. Since I haven't seen the original, ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Matt Noller
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
When it’s good, it’s very good, keeping its twists close to the vest and unfolding its mysteries in marvelous movie time. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)
Demme's variation on Condon's work emerges as little more than a craftsmanlike film with occasional flashes of intelligence and brilliance. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Sacramento Bee (Joe Baltake)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)
An "A" for effort...Still, the frayed plot strands of the 2004 Manchurian Candidate make it a lame duck to Frankenheimer's first-term thriller. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Reader (Jonathan Rosenbaum)Chicago Reader (Jonathan Rosenbaum)
If you don't care about the first version, or what director Jonathan Demme's name once meant, the cast does an OK job with Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris's routine thriller script. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Chicago Reader (Jonathan Rosenbaum)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Frankenheimer's film was prophetic of the Age of Assassinations. Demme's is a warmed-over casserole of anxiety. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at San Diego Union-Tribune (David Elliott)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Washington Post (Stephen Hunter)Washington Post (Stephen Hunter)
It all adds up to something less powerful and interesting than the original. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Washington Post (Stephen Hunter)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Orlando Weekly (Steve Schneider)Orlando Weekly (Steve Schneider)
A movie that's not only unnecessary but distressingly inactive and prone to the preposterous. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Orlando Weekly (Steve Schneider)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)
Unfortunately, this candidate falls a few electorate votes short of victory. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Hero Realm (Stefan Halley)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (David Cornelius)eFilmCritic.com (David Cornelius)
A remake was wholly unnecessary, especially when it’s as sloppy and inefficient a thriller as this one turned out to be. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at eFilmCritic.com (David Cornelius)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 1.50 out of 4 stars for Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie)Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie)
Angela Lansbury was right. A remake of John Frankenheimer's brilliant 1962 thriller, The Manchurian Candidate , is a lousy idea. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie)
 
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Ratings and rankings are based on number of movie, review scores, awards & other criteria.
Overall Rating:
2.9397
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
Avg Critic Score:
2.8891
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
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