James Dyer
Select another critic »For 35 reviews, this critic has graded:
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60% higher than the average critic
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0% same as the average critic
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40% lower than the average critic
On average, this critic grades 4.4 points lower than other critics.
(0-100 point scale)
James Dyer's Scores
- Movies
- TV
| Average review score: | 61 | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest review score: | The Endless | |
| Lowest review score: | Bright | |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 12 out of 35
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Mixed: 23 out of 35
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Negative: 0 out of 35
35
movie
reviews
- By Date
- By Critic Score
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- James Dyer
A brainless, bombastic, bomb-tastic action romp, this is absurd on almost every level, and far more fun than it has any right to be.- Empire
- Posted Mar 6, 2026
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- James Dyer
Fellowes’ dewy-eyed swansong isn’t likely to make many Film Of The Year lists, but it still does Downton proud, closing the book on his Faragian utopia of stiff upper lips and British brio in a way that would do Cousin Violet proud.- Empire
- Posted Sep 10, 2025
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- James Dyer
Less a Star Trek movie than a middling pilot episode setting up a series that will never come, Section 31 makes for a disheartening send-off for a once great character.- Empire
- Posted Jan 23, 2025
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- James Dyer
Die Hard karaoke this may be, but it delivers — and eclipses at least two of John McClane’s outings in the process. Look forward to future eye-rolling debates as to whether it qualifies as a Christmas movie.- Empire
- Posted Dec 16, 2024
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- James Dyer
An incredibly tense, tightly contained bottle horror, showcasing a genuinely chilling turn from Hugh Grant. You’ll never watch Notting Hill the same way again.- Empire
- Posted Oct 31, 2024
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- James Dyer
A heartfelt digital eulogy for an unconventional but extremely human life.- Empire
- Posted Oct 25, 2024
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- James Dyer
Creepy and clever but rarely surprising, this horror hits its marks well enough, but fails to surpass its more rough-and-ready predecessor.- Empire
- Posted Oct 16, 2024
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- James Dyer
Firmly establishing Aaron Pierre’s credentials as a thinking man’s Rambo, Rebel Ridge might not be particularly groundbreaking, but this Netflix-and-kill thriller is an undeniably fun night in.- Empire
- Posted Sep 6, 2024
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- James Dyer
Despite a charismatic turn from Momoa and some fun frenemy banter, this is a disappointing send-off that sees the DCEU go out with a squelch rather than a splash. Fin.- Empire
- Posted Jan 2, 2024
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- James Dyer
This unholy concoction of ideas is unlikely to become a seasonal staple, but sift through the nonsense and there’s a surprising amount to enjoy in this bonkers Noel nightmare.- Empire
- Posted Nov 30, 2023
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- James Dyer
An inoffensive but inessential addition to Neeson’s latter-years thriller canon. Less the bus that couldn’t slow down than the car that couldn’t get started.- Empire
- Posted Oct 27, 2023
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- James Dyer
A love story, but not in the way you think. Carney’s latest ballad to the musical arts stays in tune, with a stand-out central performance from Hewson.- Empire
- Posted Sep 22, 2023
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- James Dyer
A largely uninspiring re-tread of a superior film, this has some decent moments and enough gnarly deaths to keep horror hounds vaguely entertained until the inevitable arrival of ‘Bird Box Santorini’.- Empire
- Posted Jul 10, 2023
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- James Dyer
A by-the-numbers boot camp drama elevated by resonant emotional truth and seen through the revealing lens of all-too-lived experience.- Empire
- Posted Feb 14, 2023
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- James Dyer
A harrowing, economical thriller that will sit with you for days, this is Shyamalan’s best film in years, and a calling card for Bautista in his strongest performance yet.- Empire
- Posted Feb 1, 2023
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- James Dyer
While not quite on a level with The Endless, this is another pocket lint sci-fi from the current masters of such. A welcome sign that Benson and Moorhead haven’t gone fully respectable just yet.- Empire
- Posted Oct 31, 2022
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- James Dyer
Effortlessly the best Predator movie since the original, Prey proves that, against all expectation, there’s life in the franchise yet, not to mention a thrilling new lead in Amber Midthunder.- Empire
- Posted Aug 3, 2022
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- James Dyer
Soapy it may be, but for those who’ve poshed it up with the Crawleys since the very start, this is an affectionate, escapist hug of a movie — like being wrapped in a doily.- Empire
- Posted Apr 28, 2022
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- James Dyer
While not quite on a par with Happy Death Day, Freaky is an ebullient slasher that strikes a perfect balance of comedy and carnage.- Empire
- Posted Jun 28, 2021
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- James Dyer
An inoffensive if unengaging family romp that somehow manages to make the ultimate day of fun feel like a drag.- Empire
- Posted Mar 10, 2021
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- James Dyer
Despite some solid action beats and a story that skips from Sudan to Afghanistan, Paris and, finally, Guildford, The Old Guard is a trite revenge/conspiracy yarn, clumsily told (“That woman has forgotten more ways to kill than entire armies will ever learn”), and squanders a potentially engaging conceit.- Empire
- Posted Jul 3, 2020
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- James Dyer
A frothy fantasy about a boy and his bear that makes up for in style what it lacks in substance.- Empire
- Posted Mar 25, 2020
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- James Dyer
Lively’s steely heroine and a propulsive plot ensure you’re never bored, but this is a generic thriller from a simpler time, bulked up by a single strong performance.- Empire
- Posted Jan 29, 2020
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- Empire
- Posted Jun 12, 2019
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- James Dyer
An impassioned ode to both the toys and their era, this, at last, is the Transformers movie we’ve been waiting for.- Empire
- Posted Dec 9, 2018
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- Empire
- Posted Nov 12, 2018
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- James Dyer
An effective, micro-budget sci-fi horror, that makes up in confidence and competence for what it lacks in frills.- Empire
- Posted Jun 25, 2018
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- James Dyer
More potent as a cautionary tale than future noir, Anon’s digital dystopia certainly gets a Like, even if it doesn’t quite warrant a Share.- Empire
- Posted May 14, 2018
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- James Dyer
There are sparks of solid action amidst the confusion, but Max Landis’ script contains too much stilted dialogue to properly ignite.- Empire
- Posted Dec 21, 2017
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- James Dyer
Inoffensive fun, but unlike its paperback forbear, the cinematic Ferdinand is unlikely to stand the test of time.- Empire
- Posted Dec 12, 2017
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