56
Metascore
40 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83ColliderMaggie LovittColliderMaggie LovittIt may be Cooper’s best historical film, and perhaps that’s because there’s a distinct melancholy to it that is etched into the bones of Virginia’s finest—just like Poe.
- 80TheWrapWilliam BibbianiTheWrapWilliam BibbianiScott Cooper has directed a film with a gimmicky premise but genuine dramatic weight, anchored by handsome filmmaking and striking performances.
- 70Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinLos Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinFor its visual appeal alone it’s worth a theatrical visit ahead of its Netflix premiere next month.
- 67Austin ChronicleMatthew MonagleAustin ChronicleMatthew MonagleThere’s still a lot to recommend in what is largely a charming little occult thriller, but Cooper still has a way to go before he can fully trust his instincts in horror.
- 60The GuardianPeter BradshawThe GuardianPeter BradshawAs things turn out, this case turns on a rather ridiculous coincidence: but never mind, it’s an entertaining piece of counter-factual noir.
- 58IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichThe Pale Blue Eye begins to double as a stiff but fanciful origin story for both Edgar Allen Poe and also the detective genre he would later help shape. The best stretches of Cooper’s thin and unhurried script find the film checking those two boxes at the same time, as its occult fascination enriches its all-too-human crimes (and vice-versa) until the border that separates this world from the next becomes as blurry as that which runs between reason and madness.
- 50The A.V. ClubCourtney HowardThe A.V. ClubCourtney HowardThis is a case of one movie with two endings, and neither of them totally satisfy.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyThe Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyThis third collaboration between writer-director Scott Cooper and Christian Bale (following Out of the Furnace and Hostiles) is far stronger on gothic atmosphere than suspense. It’s capably acted and visually effective, with lots of mist-shrouded woodlands and chiaroscuro interiors, but the storytelling is stilted and uninvolving.
- 50Little White LiesAnton BitelLittle White LiesAnton BitelThe Pale Blue Eye is all at once a melancholic romance, a revenger’s tragedy, and an intriguing mystery. Its one problem, though, is that it comes with a glacial pace to match its wintry setting.
- 38Slant MagazineDerek SmithSlant MagazineDerek SmithThe film often feels like one of the corpses in its story: cold, lifeless, and without a heart.