Light It Up
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | Release Date: November 10, 1999 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
43
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
12
Negative:
6
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Baltimore SunMilton Kent
Much of Light It Up has a familiar feel. But there are enough redeeming insights to make the time you spend at this school worthwhile. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerPhoebe Flowers
Heartbreaking and sometimes dazzlingly effective, the film still has flaws -- most of them in a too-often-maudlin script. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneBarbara Shulgasser
This is a good-hearted movie that unfortunately is wildly implausible and makes no sense. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldPhoebe Flowers
The protagonists of Light It Up seem strangely tender and vulnerable, and the movie, if heavy-handed at times, does a remarkable job of making their plight moving. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
At all times, the audience believes that it's watching something that really could happen. Read full review
75
USA TodayStaff [Not Credited]
A tough little hostage thriller with crackling dialogue, surprising intelligence and an emotional wallop. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
It has moments of effectiveness, some of the performances -- especially Whitaker and Robert Ri'chard -- are moving. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
If I can't quite recommend the movie, it's because so much of the plot is on autopilot. The dialogue spells out too much that doesn't need to be said. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeJay Carr
Light It Up isn't a great movie, but it's a cut above most so-called urban thrillers. Read full review
60
Film.comTom Keogh
Look to the cast as the best reason to see this film. Read full review
60
L.A. WeeklyNicole Campos
Little more than a movie of the week with slick visuals and an amped soundtrack. Read full review
60
Village VoiceGary Dauphin
Unexpectedly satisfying feel-good agitprop. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
It's a bit of 60s idealism wedged in what basically looks like a hip-hop music video. Read full review
50
Dallas ObserverDavid Ehrenstein
The real find-- is Rosario Dawson, who has appeared to good effect in previous smaller roles ("Kids," "He Got Game") and just about walks off with the movie. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesGene Seymour
A hostage drama, cliches intact, is what we get. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
The passionate and carnivalesque sense of politics reminded me at times of "Dog Day Afternoon," but despite the absence of cynicism this is a 90s story in every sense of the word Read full review
50
San Francisco ExaminerWesley Morris
A laughably disconnected hostage drama that rails against the perceived nightmare of inner-city public schools. Read full review
40
The New York TimesLawrence Van Gelder
Turns out to be a pretentiously righteous drama that drowns any claim to serious attention in a sea of superficial characters.
40
SlateEliza Truitt
Singer Usher Raymond earns praise as the leader of the group, but the rest of the cast goes largely unnoticed. Read full review
40
VarietyRobert Koehler
Never quite catches fire in its too-deliberate attempt to appeal to all ages and all tastes. Read full review
40
Washington PostRita Kempley
Benefits from affecting performances from a gifted cast headed by R&B heartthrob Usher Raymond. Read full review
38
New York PostLou Lumenick
Light It Up would be a strong candidate for the year's most irresponsible movie - if it were remotely believable. Read full review
25
TNT RoughCutMatt Kelsey
Would have been better suited as a television movie of the week. Read full review
25
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
The story is irresponsible and the filmmaking is awful. Read full review
23
Mr. ShowbizMichael Atkinson
A shovelful of silly manure from the get-go. Read full review
20
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
It's a hockey affair at the best of times. Read full review
0
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
As an actor, Raymond is whiny and annoying, but not nearly so much as the film. Read full review
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