Surviving the Game

New Line Cinema | Release Date: April 15, 1994

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

41	METASCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

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Mixed:

Negative:

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Critic Reviews

Critic score Publication By date

Steve Persall

Energetic performances plug plot holes and the most interesting villains die first, but Surviving the Game is a decent fix for action junkies before the summer blockbusters arrive. [20 Apr 1994, p.6B]

Mick LaSalle

Instead of building in impact, the film feels smaller as the cast dwindles. You get the feeling that the most important actors are getting killed first, so that they can go off to act in better movies. [20 Apr 1994, p.E5]

TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)

Ernest Dickerson, formerly Spike Lee's cinematographer, continues to show promise in the director's seat with this solidly made, well-acted survival thriller that is unfortunately limited by its overworked premise. Read full review

Harper Barnes

Despite a solid cast and a few interesting visual moments, Surviving the Game is just a routine action picture. [21 Apr 1994, p.5G]

David Landis

Yet another take on the human-as-prey-for-hunters theme seen most recently in last summer's Hard Target. [18 Apr 1994, p.3D]

Owen Gleiberman

Essentially, the movie is Cliffhanger with one third the firepower. Ice-T, looking like a depressed lion in his thick Rasta braids, remains a charismatic camera subject, though he’s too much the snaggletoothed urban runt to make a convincing action dynamo. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

As out-of-whack and sophomoric as all this is, the movie sustains a rudimentary action interest. Read full review

Janet Maslin

This film is quite literally lost in the wilderness, with an intermittent, picturesque prettiness that doesn't suit the action at all. More damagingly, Mr. Dickerson does nothing to keep his cast from chewing up the mountain scenery. [16 Apr 1994, p.11]