40 Acres
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: July 2, 2025 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
74
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonJul 2, 2025
The depth of [Thorne's] characters, brought to life by a terrific cast, and tactile world building are what set 40 Acres apart. The setting feels authentic; you could imagine yourself living on this farm with this family. Read full review
91
Original-CinThom ErnstJul 7, 2025
As a feature-film directorial debut, 40 Acres marks a stunning entrance for Thorne into the cinematic landscape—Canadian or otherwise. Read full review
88
Washington PostTy BurrJul 2, 2025
This is a movie to see and a director to watch. Read full review
85
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Barry HertzJul 3, 2025
40 Acres is a top-tier genre film that Trojan-horses a flood of knotty, provocative conversations into multiplexes via the best kind of speculative fiction. Read full review
83
IndieWireChristian ZilkoJul 1, 2025
By turning the tables and making a Black woman the landowner, the filmmaker manages to both subvert the past and illustrate the same economic forces that led to all the inequality we still face in the real world. It all makes for a fitting Fourth of July weekend viewing, with plenty of cannibal combat thrown in for good measure. Read full review
80
IGNDevan SuberJul 10, 2025
Danielle Deadwyler shines in 40 Acres, a post-apocalyptic home-invasion thriller that injects heart and soul into standard thrills. Read full review
80
Rolling StoneDavid FearJul 7, 2025
Deadwyler is what makes 40 Acres feel like there’s something special happening here. The script has brains. Her Hailey has heart and soul. She gives us the postapocalyptic hero we deserve. Read full review
80
Film ThreatMichael Talbot-HaynesJul 2, 2025
While the delivery of the thrills falls into action territory due to the power contests, there is a palatable sense of dread kept up that will satisfy the horror crowd. Read full review
80
The New York TimesRobert DanielsJul 2, 2025
There’s a tense beauty to 40 Acres. Deadwyler’s forceful energy fills the frame; through her rigid stature and her cleareyed speech, she lends power and humor to this lovingly stern mother. Read full review
80
VarietyStephen SaitoDec 21, 2024
Though R.T. Thorne’s dynamic siege thriller has some familiar moves, it is full of fresh ideas. Read full review
80
ColliderJason GorberDec 17, 2024
This is a complete vision from a newly minted feature director, and it’s a work very much welcome as it joins the many that have tilled similar acreages. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comCortlyn KellyJul 2, 2025
A slow build of suspense steadies the pacing, allowing the audience to piece together the puzzle alongside the characters. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineRoss McIndoeJun 29, 2025
40 Acres continually finds clever ways to either subvert familiar story beats or to make them land with extra impact. Read full review
70
Screen RantFerdosa AbdiDec 17, 2024
Ultimately, the film has some heartfelt moments and themes, and while dark and violent, it is, in the end, an uplifting story about family, legacy, and hope. Read full review
63
Paste MagazineJesse HassengerJul 7, 2025
For all of its craft, 40 Acres feels fenced in. Read full review
63
Movie NationRoger MooreJun 20, 2025
40 Acres is a tense, violent and generally satisfying survivalist thriller. Read full review
60
The GuardianCath ClarkeAug 4, 2025
Deadwyler’s performance is the driving force here. Without her, the audience’s attention might drift to the predictability of a plotline that hinges on Manny’s adolescent rebellion against his mum. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesAmy NicholsonJul 1, 2025
Thorne has made a resolute portrait of a woman who can’t break free of generational trauma. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubMatt DonatoJul 1, 2025
The problem is that 40 Acres simply sprinkles its few unique ideas atop a shambling post-apocalyptic template. Read full review
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