Critic Reviews

Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) Rank 3 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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Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Steve Rhodes <Steve.Rhodes@internetreviews.com>Steve Rhodes <Steve.Rhodes@internetreviews.com>
The Manchurian CandidateisJonathan Demme's best film sinceSilence of the Lambs, an engrossing conspiracy thriller and a more than competent remake (unlikeThe Truth About Charlie, Demme's boofing ofCharade).It's also not the liberal screed that it ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Steve Rhodes <Steve.Rhodes@internetreviews.com>
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)
Release Information: Production Company: Paramount Pictures Theatrical Release Date: July 30, 2004 DVD Release Date: December 21, 2004 Technical Information: Aspect Ratio: Widescreen DVD Encoding: Region 1 Subtitles: English, Spanish Sound: English ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
If you haven't seen the original The Manchurian Candidate, I actually recommend seeing the new version first and then going back to see the 1962 film. Since I'm so familiar with the original, I occasionally was distracted watching the remake ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)
terrific 1962 Manchurian Candidate from the novel by Richard Condon is hard to beat. I watched it two weeks ago on PBS and did not think a remake was necessary -- it was still a fine, though somewhat dated film. But, I am an avid film goer and am ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Lobo Howls (Judith Wolfe)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie VoiceFilm Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
The problem with watching classic film is that often, one is left with the feeling that the story in question has been seen and done before. The oft-emulated Manchurian Candidate, through certainly no fault of its own, is one of those films that now ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Future Movies (Ed Colley)Future Movies (Ed Colley)
The last couple of months have seen a glut of politically-aware documentary films, which have tackled subjects ranging from George Bush Junior (Fahrenheit 9/11), big business (The Corporation), McDonalds (Super Size Me) and paedophilia (Capturing the ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Future Movies (Ed Colley)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Dark Horizons (Garth Franklin)Dark Horizons (Garth Franklin)
How do you remake what many consider to be the greatest political thriller ever made? Simple, you cleverly emulate rather than try to surpass. Much like say last year's &quot;The Texas Chainsaw Massacre&quot;, this is a film which whilst not in the ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Dark Horizons (Garth Franklin)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Netflix (James Rocchi)Netflix (James Rocchi)
Remake of '60s pop masterpiece doesn't equal its predecessor, but it's still got some bitter, tasty moments of commentary. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Netflix (James Rocchi)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
A tale of political manipulation that makes the real thing look like a model of idealistic cordiality. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for EnPrimeur.ca (Nicolas Lacroix)EnPrimeur.ca (Nicolas Lacroix)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Oz)eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
A superb piece of filmmaking by directing icon Jonathan Demme that surpasses the John Frankenheimer original in ways I didn't think possible. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Oz)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
The new Manchurian Candidate isn’t just a great remake – it may just be the greatest remake ever remade. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for F5 (Wichita, KS) (Jake Euker)F5 (Wichita, KS) (Jake Euker)
[Has moments of] delirious political comedy, and it functions as a thriller, too. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at F5 (Wichita, KS) (Jake Euker)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
As much a rethinking as a remake of the 1962 movie, this is a top-notch political thriller for our times. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Village Voice (J. Hoberman)Village Voice (J. Hoberman)
Demme, who works a clever permutation on the original ending, is more than capable of doing the thriller thing--even with material that will strike a good percentage of his audience as familiar. As an intelligent genre flick, the movie plays to his ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Village Voice (J. Hoberman)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
I'm not sure Demme's quite justified the idea of a remake on a thematic basis, but he has made a fine thriller. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Demme's version is assured and stylized; if anything, it also lends support to this American story's bid for timelessness. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for cymovies.tk (Cyrus Baetz)cymovies.tk (Cyrus Baetz)
The movie made me wonder if something of this matter is actually going on right now –- maybe Bush is being controlled by an enslaved committee of retarded chimpanzees. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at cymovies.tk (Cyrus Baetz)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for New York Times (A.O. Scott)New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Jonathan Demme, updating John Frankenheimer's classic exercise in cold war liberal paranoia, has made a witty, anxious thriller for a new age of political uncertainty. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Journal News (Westchester, NY) (Jack Garner)Journal News (Westchester, NY) (Jack Garner)
As welcome and as frightening today as it was when Frank Sinatra played Washington's role in the '62 version. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Journal News (Westchester, NY) (Jack Garner)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
The less one knows or remembers about the original, the more likely Demme's The Manchurian Candidate will work its chilling, thrilling magic. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Jam! Movies (Louis B. Hobson)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Empire (Angie Errigo)Empire (Angie Errigo)
A cracking conspiracy thriller that's well-cast, slyly satirical and -- as a solid, glossy, contemporised remix of a classic -- rings enough creepy changes to surprise. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Empire (Angie Errigo)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for The Hollywood Reporter (Michael Rechtshaffen)The Hollywood Reporter (Michael Rechtshaffen)
The updated classic is a chiller of a political thriller in its own right. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at The Hollywood Reporter (Michael Rechtshaffen)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for LA Weekly (John Powers)LA Weekly (John Powers)
If Demme's version lacks the wallop of its predecessor, it is more likely to be popular with contemporary audiences, who will enjoy not only its labyrinthine twists but its stars' burnished professionalism. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at LA Weekly (John Powers)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
What is surprising is how fresh Demme&#146;s version is and how close it approaches the original in terms of quality. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
The Manchurian Candidate, which was released right in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis and barely a year before Kennedy's assassination, the “Manchurian” of the title referred to the Chinese government, whose havoc-wreaking reds were plotting to ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
That rare remake that paves its own way without exploiting or cheapening its predecessor. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Cinema Source (Jennifer Krieger)The Cinema Source (Jennifer Krieger)
Denzel Washington brings out the best in every director, but his surprising and brave performance as a conflicted lawyer in Philadelphia put Jonathon Demme on the map as one of the finest directors in cinema today. Naturally, when I heard about them ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at The Cinema Source (Jennifer Krieger)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Baltimore Sun (Chris Kaltenbach)Baltimore Sun (Chris Kaltenbach)
Washington is wisely cast as Marco; few actors command more instant respect, and the movie uses that to make his character both believable and sympathetic. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Baltimore Sun (Chris Kaltenbach)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
[Streep] isa pleasure to watch -- and to marvel at -- every second she's onscreen. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Boston Globe (Ty Burr)Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
The first "Candidate" was inspired pop art, a two-dimensional coloring book about 1962 America's subterranean political fears. Demme's film is more nuanced, less crazy-brilliant and, yes, probably less necessary, but it's still a confirmation of all the ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Streep wisely goes for oblique humor rather than straight-ahead villainy, making the character different and yet just as loathsome. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Viewers may feel as if they're watching a dramatization of 'Fahrenheit 9/11' ... ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
The kindest, warmest, bravest, most selfless movie I've ever known. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Staff (Not Credited))The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Staff (Not Credited))
Part patrician WASP, part Lady Macbeth and revealing more than a little of Hilary Clinton steel, Streep crackles with neurotic energy and barely checked sexuality, sublimated into an addiction to power and an unhealthy devotion to her son. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Staff (Not Credited))
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
This riveting film is marred by compromises -- such as a switch of assassins to create an unpersuasive upbeat ending -- that keep it in the shadow of its predecessor. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Boston GlobeBoston Globe
Back in 1962, no one saw "The Manchurian Candidate" coming. The language that the great John Frankenheimer thriller spoke -- of assassination conspiracies and unholy political alliances and paranoia so deep it bled from the walls of the sets -- was ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Boston Globe
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Christian Science Monitor (David Sterritt)Christian Science Monitor (David Sterritt)
Denzel Washington is stellar, and so is Tak Fujimoto's cinematography, which is as edgy and antsy as the story it tells. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Christian Science Monitor (David Sterritt)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)
Demme's movie is just as sophisticated and knowing as Frankenheimer's, but it isn't as hip or daring. It doesn't haunt your mind or stir your sense of dread the way the '62 movie did--and it lacks almost totally the earlier film's piercing, oddball ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
If you ride the paranoiac tide, letting Jonathan Demme's assured direction carry you along, the sardonic humor and anxiety-inducing message work on you. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Filled with conspiracies, intrigue and the suggestion that modern-day society is purposely designed to drive us a little nuts, The Manchurian Candidate is a paranoid fantasy for our time. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Gaytoday.com (Ernest Barteldes)Gaytoday.com (Ernest Barteldes)
The John Frankenheimer version of The Manchurian Candidate (1962, starring Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey) is one of all-time the top ten films on my list, a picture I've recommended to anyone who wants to learn about classic Hollywood films or about ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Gaytoday.com (Ernest Barteldes)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt)St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt)
That simple idea powers the movie effectively, except in the draggy, lecture-y middle. "Manchurian" even makes ambiguity dramatic and disturbing &#151; the hero isn't entirely heroic, and the villain isn't entirely villainous. Their plights are so ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Sure, there are holes in The Manchurian Candidate, and tenuous coincidences and too-convenient plot devices. But Washington, Schreiber, Streep and company - and Demme - have managed to make all the malevolent machinations seem relevant again. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for David N. ButterworthDavid N. Butterworth
Jonathan Demme's attentiongrabbing remake of the John Frankenheimer classicstars Denzel Washington in the Frank Sinatra role (as Ben Marco, the militaryman who returns from Kuwait haunted by a recurring nightmare that he learnsother survivors of his ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at David N. Butterworth
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Gone are the Chinese and North Korean Communists who brainwashed the American soldiers in the original 1962 version of "The Manchurian Candidate." In that very durable version, adapted by George Axelrod from Richard Condon's novel and directed ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Newsday (John Anderson)Newsday (John Anderson)
Like its fabled predecessor, and novelist Richard Condon's 1959 potboiler before that, Jonathan Demme's remake of The Manchurian Candidate refashions an old gag into something cautionary, frightening and far less than far-fetched. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Newsday (John Anderson)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
I saw this film right after watching the original (it was shown on PBS recently) and after watching the Democratic national convention. I was struck by how similar the speeches in the film were to the speeches in the convention. There are also a lot of ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
A more scary than suspenseful affair, created in workmanlike fashion by all those involved. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)
A remake of the original Cold War version of this film has hit the big screen. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Entertainment Spectrum (Vince Koehler)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia InquirerPhiladelphia Inquirer
Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) hasn't been faring well. An Army officer who saw action in the Gulf War, Marco is living on a diet of instant noodles and No-Doz in a debris-strewn Washington apartment. He's haunted by recurring nightmares. He ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jeff Strickler)Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jeff Strickler)
That rarest of remakes: a reworking that puts an interesting new spin on a familiar premise but stands strongly on its own. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jeff Strickler)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
Packed with strong performances and a literate script, it is rich in resonances torn from the headlines. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Globe and Mail (Liam Lacey)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Like Demme's previous Washington starrer, Philadelphia , it's got something to say -- and says it well. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for DVD Talk (Matthew Millheiser)DVD Talk (Matthew Millheiser)
The Manchurian Candidate was not a big hit upon its release last summer, but it wasn't a flop either. In any case, the film itself is a winner. Although its slick artifice works against its gritty storyline, the movie succeeds in presenting a thriller ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at DVD Talk (Matthew Millheiser)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
Those of you who have seen the original know that they were actually captured and brainwashed; those of you who have not seen the original know that something is up from the preview, and you'll find out a few minutes into the film anyway. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for DVD Talk (Adam Tyner)DVD Talk (Adam Tyner)
Comparisons to the original film may be unavoidable, but The Manchurian Candidate stands on its own as a film. It's not the instant classic that the original was, but The Manchurian Candidate is an effective, well-crafted paranoid thriller elevated by ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at DVD Talk (Adam Tyner)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
As much as I love Sinatra and Harvey, I'll argue that Washington and Schreiber are more than up to the challenge, while Streep, who says she has never seen the Frankenheimer movie, has to be commended for taking the job at all. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Best of all is Streep, taking on Angela Lansbury's classic villain and imbuing her meaty role with a little Hillary Clinton, a lot of Lady Macbeth and a pinch of Oedipus' mum. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
a taut, up-to-the-minute reimagining of the original... Demme, in his best film since 'The Silence of the Lambs,' superbly builds the mystery... ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
Demme, an enigmatic filmmaker who successfully bounces between fiction and nonfiction, goes for the thrills here, leaving the chills to the original. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Christianity Today (Ron Reed)Christianity Today (Ron Reed)
The movie is playing with ideas, and they're important enough to bear thinking about now. What it's playing on are our fears. And they're real enough, and worth addressing. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Christianity Today (Ron Reed)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Reel.comReel.com
The 1962 film wasn't perfect, and neither is this one. Whether it was Demme's idea or Streep's, at times the elder Shaw is frankly a bit too Mommie Dearest, and incestuous undertones are frankly an unnecessary distraction. There are also some logic ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Reel.com
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
If you ride the paranoiac tide, letting Jonathan Demme's assured direction carry you along, the sardonic humor and anxiety-inducing message work on you. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
It's a mesmerizing mind-teaser that finds its own way into the material, adapted from Richard Condon's 1959 novel. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)
It's a well-written and directed thriller that allows the audience to play along ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at WaffleMovies.com (Willie Waffle)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
Jonathan Demme makes a living bringing creativity to Hollywood. And he barely squeaks by doing it. I'm not about to deny that he is a great director; he is one of my favorites, in fact. But that's not to say that he doesn't engage in risky business of ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
A funny, creepy, cynical, lurid and strident potboiler whose surreal premise feeds on our depressingly all-too-familiar world. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Corporations, not commies, are the sinister force behind Jonathan Demme's "The Manchurian Candidate," in which poor Raymond Shaw is told by a liberal senator: "You are about to become the ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)
It's a strong, brilliantly acted, well-timed drama, working as a companion piece, and not a replacement, to the original. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Full disclosure: I believe that John Frankenheimer's 1962 Manchurian Candidate is a classic political satire and pulse-pounder that no one needed to remake. That said, director Jonathan Demme's remake isn't half bad. In fact, it's a mesmerizing ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
Devoid of centralized themes and making no attempt to broaden the scope of the score as Amram had done, Portman's take on The Manchurian Candidate is one of very predictable, brooding suspense that is understandable, but disappointingly ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Denver Post (Lisa Kennedy)Denver Post (Lisa Kennedy)
This is an intelligent and detailed work, full of fine performances. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Denver Post (Lisa Kennedy)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.98 out of 4 stars for Entertainment Ave! (The Dude on the Right)Entertainment Ave! (The Dude on the Right)
Jonathan Demme did one of the few and only things that would make me give my movie-going dollars to him by seeing "The Manchurian Candidate", rather than seeing "Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle." What is that, you ask? He once again put newsman, ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Entertainment Ave! (The Dude on the Right)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.84 out of 4 stars for DVD Town (Hock Guan Teh)DVD Town (Hock Guan Teh)
For this remake of "The Manchurian Candidate", Pyne and Georgaris has for the most part, remained somewhat faithful to the original George Axelrod screenplay and the Richard Condon novel. However, several key elements of the original story had to be ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at DVD Town (Hock Guan Teh)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.81 out of 4 stars for Entertain Your Brain! - ReviewEntertain Your Brain! - Review
A few years ago, I had checked out the original Manchurian Candidate on TV, and I was very impressed. I knew that it had Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury, and the recently departed Janet Leigh, but I didn’t realize how eerie it was in ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Entertain Your Brain! - Review
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for New York Magazine (Peter Rainer)New York Magazine (Peter Rainer)
Demme&#146;s Manchurian Candidate is far from a disgrace, but it's not freewheeling enough, not strange enough to make sense of our gathering dread. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at New York Magazine (Peter Rainer)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for Dallas Observer (Robert Wilonsky)Dallas Observer (Robert Wilonsky)
Just as you feel the numbing, clammy clench of paranoia on your neck, you realize, nope, the grip is just the director's attempt at tickling you to death. Demme's movie had no right to work. It does, and then some. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Dallas Observer (Robert Wilonsky)
Manchurian Candidate, The (2004) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for Slate (David Edelstein)Slate (David Edelstein)
Beautifully made and unsurpassingly creepy, it's the rare remake with something contemporary to add. ...read the complete Manchurian Candidate movie review at Slate (David Edelstein)