Hell or High Water

CBS Films | Release Date: August 12, 2016

8.1	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 753 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

AxeTAug 19, 2016

High hopes for this in the worst summer for movies of all time. Unfortunately it does not deliver. What a let down considering the great word of mouth, solid cast and welcome genre. Jackass critics over-praise yet again here doing nobodyHigh hopes for this in the worst summer for movies of all time. Unfortunately it does not deliver. What a let down considering the great word of mouth, solid cast and welcome genre. Jackass critics over-praise yet again here doing nobody but the makers and themselves a favor! The idiots obviously grade on a curve. Do they give this mild effort a break only because everything else is so piss poor? They're unfit to be giving their worthless opinions on anything.
Jeff Bridges is a very fine actor and one of the great contemporary movie stars. Lifelong fan and he's in my top three favorite movie stars. He's good here and all the funny lines are delivered by his character, but that's about all that's good in this film. The script is weak on story. Low stakes, high boredom with contrived characters in cliché circumstances that have been put on screen countless times. The motivating family backstory is not going to be bought by a thinking audience. Obviously the writer and director were trying to comment on the modern West (actually its Texas here) with their dissertation in the forefront, and the lame story taking the backseat. Major mistake and it never works. If you want to do that then go make a documentary, write a book or become a painter because Hollywood movies should always be about strong narrative. Any kind of message on the nature of things should be sub-text, always! The audience needs a good story and the rest can filter through sub-consciously or even overtly, but the priority must be on story. The rookies behind this either don't get that, or just couldn't come up with the goods. ("Sicario" was a pretty phony and thin movie for that matter.) The tone and craft of this movie are fine and that's what the sheep critics are all flocking around because they are very easily fooled. It's a slow slog building up to nothing much.

Also there is a ridiculous logic flaw in the plot, what little plot there is. And not a flaw but maybe more troubling is a lack of moral subjectivity by the authorship of the film. The anti-hero is nothing new. What is are today's Leftist amoral filmmakers who don't pass judgment on extreme violence but show it matter of factly which is more realistic (except for the ubiquitous blood splatter now in shows and movies which is not realistic most of the time and in some ways the old code movies completely devoid of it are actually more realistic), however less reasonable for an audience looking for meaning. The tone shifts from buddy joking to cold blooded killing by characters the filmmakers intend you to like. That's not the problem. The lack of more of a moral payoff is. The danger is a culture heading for a complete lack of morality in the arts.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

All this user's reviews

RatedRexDec 17, 2016

Another stupid movie that makes no sense. Everything works too conveniently. There are a couple of good scenes, but for the most part, it just meanders along. Worst of all, it whimpers to an unsatisfactory conclusion that you will have toAnother stupid movie that makes no sense. Everything works too conveniently. There are a couple of good scenes, but for the most part, it just meanders along. Worst of all, it whimpers to an unsatisfactory conclusion that you will have to suspend all common sense in order to believe. It is amazing that the critics loved this movie so much. It is easily the most overrated movie of the year.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

All this user's reviews

haylobosAug 22, 2016

Went in with high expectations but was left unimpressed. The trailer paints the picture of a "Robin Hood Cowboy" tale which is only briefly seen in the cafe setting about 1/4 of the way through the movie. Other than that it seemed tooWent in with high expectations but was left unimpressed. The trailer paints the picture of a "Robin Hood Cowboy" tale which is only briefly seen in the cafe setting about 1/4 of the way through the movie. Other than that it seemed too formulaic and unfortunately this formula has been used way too much. There was nothing new to see here, I didn't feel the movie captured my attention, and would recommend you Redbox this one on a rainy day.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

WalterKovacsDec 26, 2017

Not a bad modern western, but it lacks any memorable scenes. It is slow paced and tries too hard to be artsy. I'd say it is enjoyable for fans of the genre.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

amheretojudgeFeb 26, 2018

lord of the plains, that's me..

Hell Or High Water The problem in a character driven movie is that if it ain't interesting, gripping or cognitive the feature starts to fade off slowly and the only thing remains is the ticking clock whichlord of the plains, that's me..

Hell Or High Water

The problem in a character driven movie is that if it ain't interesting, gripping or cognitive the feature starts to fade off slowly and the only thing remains is the ticking clock which takes too much of its time to finish of what was started. David Mackenzie is no short on execution but doesn't seek attention and fails to utilize the script by Taylor Sheridan which frankly had more potential than it was projected. Jeff Bridges is straight out amazing along with a great cast like Chris Pine and Ben Foster who are giving their all in. Hell Or High Water is not the cure, its the disease that even though slowly but surely is taking away the essence (brilliant screenplay, stellar performances and even background score) out of it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

JamesLAug 27, 2016

A real disappointment. I was expecting plot, characters, substance, and my money's worth. This film has none of those. It is so simple and bland that you begin to think that maybe it is really smart and you are just missing it. No, there isA real disappointment. I was expecting plot, characters, substance, and my money's worth. This film has none of those. It is so simple and bland that you begin to think that maybe it is really smart and you are just missing it. No, there is nothing to miss with this film. Bridges has done this role o many time, the buddy concept has no chemistry here, and the film just takes up time. Nothing new, unique or never been done here. A major disappointment.… Expand

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

All this user's reviews

MindurbidnissApr 4, 2021

After hearing its praises sung, I decided to give this a viewing. Sorely disappointed. Not only has this story been told time and time again, but it's been told better. Sub par writing, posturing posing as character development, and a plotAfter hearing its praises sung, I decided to give this a viewing. Sorely disappointed. Not only has this story been told time and time again, but it's been told better. Sub par writing, posturing posing as character development, and a plot with more holes in it than Swiss Cheese are simply summed up as "Texans being Texans". Pine gives a great performance atypical of his usual roles and I guess they know the audience they're shooting for judging by the numbers.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

GinaKAug 26, 2016

A dull film about mainly uninteresting people. One critic I read mentioned “Bonnie and Clyde” when reviewing this film, and I wonder what he was smoking. Ben Foster and Chris Pike do a good job with the two main characters, but their realA dull film about mainly uninteresting people. One critic I read mentioned “Bonnie and Clyde” when reviewing this film, and I wonder what he was smoking. Ben Foster and Chris Pike do a good job with the two main characters, but their real motivations were murky until the very end when things finally got interesting. But that was more the scriptwriter’s fault and not theirs. Jeff Bridges played the Jeff Bridges character and I read he was “foul-mouthed.” I found his “joshing” with his partner highly offensive and racist. If you love clichés and despair, this is the movie for you.… Expand

1 of 13 users found this helpful112

All this user's reviews

currer_bellAug 25, 2018

This was a quite bad and boring movie... Like we needed another unrealistic movie about bankrobbers from Texas...

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

TRakeJun 3, 2019

Jeff Bridges has adopted a "marbles in the mouth" method of speaking to play these gruff characters and it is just too tiresome. Chris Pine does a decent job. The story is slow and missed too many chances for intrigue. Every surprise is aJeff Bridges has adopted a "marbles in the mouth" method of speaking to play these gruff characters and it is just too tiresome. Chris Pine does a decent job. The story is slow and missed too many chances for intrigue. Every surprise is a dud. Some like it. Not me.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

TheMetacritiqerSep 5, 2016

Very boring, not funny movie. I expected this to be serious but it ends up feeling like a comedy. And even the action scenes seem far fetched. Not entertainment just dull and a waste of time. Now to see Sully

2 of 33 users found this helpful231

All this user's reviews

Nclr_ChcknFeb 26, 2019

Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.AbsoluteAbsolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.Absolute boredom.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

BroyaxAug 11, 2018

Deux loustics font des braquages pour arrondir les fins de mois et accessoirement pourvoir aux besoins de leur famille décomposée, payer la pension alimentaire et piquer du fric aux banques responsables de la crise des subprimes et de leurDeux loustics font des braquages pour arrondir les fins de mois et accessoirement pourvoir aux besoins de leur famille décomposée, payer la pension alimentaire et piquer du fric aux banques responsables de la crise des subprimes et de leur (sur)endettement... on a là un bel agenda social et il est respecté à la lettre.

Ce n'est pas le pire cela dit même si ce prétexte est fort mal exploité... Le pire, c'est Chris Pine et sa tête de noeud : dire que ce branque est le nouveau Capitaine Kirk, ça me fout déjà les boules mais le voir errer avec sa moustache à faire l'acteur, ça fait pitié. Et que dire de son comparse frérot dans le film, incarné par Ben Foster sinon qu'il s'agit d'un bouffon hystérique insupportable ? il vaut mieux ne rien en dire, pour notre bien à tous.

Bien sûr, on a tout de même notre bon vieux Jeff Bridges toujours vert en papy ranger ringard et lourdingue : même son collègue amérindien-mexicain n'en peut plus de ses vannes pourraves... ce bon vieux Jeff mérite nettement mieux que ce rôle mal écrit, superficiel et bourré de clichés d'un scénariste alcoolique de Parkinson.

L'histoire se traîne à deux à l'heure tandis que papy court après les deux guignols ; tout sonne faux et stéréotypé et se révèle à peine digne d'un téléfilm à la petite semaine. Au moins, la mise en scène reste calme et très posée, y compris dans les rares scènes d'action... Mais que c'est mou du genou et pas crédible pour un sou ce machin ! j'ai rarement vu un film aussi bidon.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

All this user's reviews

prev next

Page: