The Age of Shadows
CJ Entertainment | Release Date: September 23, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
78
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
The PlaylistJessica KiangSep 13, 2016
The Age of Shadows has no pretensions to being a particularly deep or politically resonant piece of filmmaking. Its more that Kim Jee-woon has found in this era and this milieu the perfect inspiration for a blisteringly entertaining and exquisite genre exercise, one that may not be recognised as such only because we we have never expected genre films to be this good. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangSep 22, 2016
Nothing in this gratifyingly focused movie feels excessive or gratuitous, and a situation that repeatedly threatens to spiral out of control is dramatized with the utmost assurance. Read full review
90
VarietyJay WeissbergSep 12, 2016
If anything, the film is most indebted to classic cloak-and-dagger movies, in which sharp, richly succinct dialogue and plenty of atmosphere seem effortlessly carried along by the force of magnetic personalities. Read full review
88
Washington PostMark JenkinsSep 22, 2016
The movie’s visual panache and fog-of-war ambiguity are as universal as the desire to detonate TNT under your enemy’s headquarters. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskySep 21, 2016
Like "I Saw The Devil," The Age Of Shadows is a cat-and-mouse scenario that thwarts and subverts audience expectations. Read full review
80
Total FilmMatt LookerApr 9, 2017
Twists and betrayals add spice to a familiar cat-and-mouse tale, while director Kim Jee-woon handles spectacle and drama with equal aplomb. Read full review
80
Village VoiceSimon AbramsSep 22, 2016
You may have seen parts of The Age of Shadows before, but they're rarely this well assembled. Read full review
80
CineVueJohn BleasdaleSep 12, 2016
The Age of Shadows is a bloody and breathtaking piece of filmmaking which confirms that Kim can do pretty much anything. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoSep 24, 2016
While Kim’s filmmaking is typically engaging, it’s really Song Kang-ho who carries the viewer’s interest. Read full review
75
The Film StageZhuo-Ning SuSep 12, 2016
How Kim and his formidable technical team compose, frame and edit what could have been the most ordinary of shootouts to instantly, violently communicate peril shows not just unmistakable filmmaking prowess but a delightful, connoisseuristic appreciation of the game. Read full review
70
The New York TimesKen JaworowskiSep 22, 2016
The Age of Shadows might tempt another filmmaker to dwell on issues or delve deeper into its characters’ hearts. Yet, for this director, exposition can’t hold a candle to elegantly staged shootouts. And who can blame him. He knows his strengths. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDeborah YoungSep 12, 2016
Several impressive action scenes sustain the tension and electrify this overlong, often hard-to-follow story. Read full review
70
Screen DailyFionnuala HalliganSep 12, 2016
The first half of Age of Shadows feels muddy as momentum builds; the latter stages boast a cinetic energy - cutting a violent melee to classical music (in this case Ravel’s Bolero), may be a tribute to John Woo, but it’s stunning nonetheless. Read full review
58
IndieWireDavid EhrlichSep 24, 2016
Kim Jee-woon will always gravitate towards the bleaker side of the things, but “The Age of Shadows” suggests that his stories might benefit from just a little bit more light. Read full review
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