The Weight
Vertical | Release Date: September 18, 2026 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
The Film StageKent M. WilhelmFeb 5, 2026
McKinley’s intense and, at times, brutal thriller is crowd-pleasing without being pandering. He melds a winning premise, breathless sequences, and lush photography with the right cast to draw you into the treacherous journey. Read full review
83
The Daily BeastNick SchagerJan 27, 2026
Electrifying a taut tale of tough times and the desperate men they breed, [Hawke] makes sure that, even when it could stand to be a tad weightier, this genre film packs a wallop. Read full review
80
TheWrapChase HutchinsonJan 29, 2026
Throughout it all, Hawke is mesmerizing. The action scenes are tense and well-executed, though it’s the way he grounds it that makes you feel every setback. Read full review
80
Screen DailyTim GriersonJan 29, 2026
Padraic McKinley’s feature directorial debut is a hugely confident survivalist tale that’s as bluntly effective as the primitive weapons employed in this bare-knuckle saga. Read full review
80
New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriJan 29, 2026
McKinley establishes just the right amount of physical and emotional stakes, and a cast led by Ethan Hawke infuses the drama with believable camaraderie, conflict, and tension. It’s the kind of atmospheric, exciting period drama we don’t really get much anymore. Read full review
75
New York PostJohnny OleksinskiJan 28, 2026
Familiar though it is, the skillfully made movie finds vigor in the been-there-done-that. Read full review
60
Time OutStephen A. RussellFeb 17, 2026
Padraic McKinley’s Great Depression gold heist flick has a welcome ’70s vibe and a careworn charm, mostly emanating from the always trusty Ethan Hawke. Read full review
60
VarietyPeter DebrugeJan 29, 2026
While the pieces for a white-knuckle mission seem to be in place, The Weight has an uneven, lurching quality, where slogging through the picturesque-yet-endless expanse of tall trees (arboraceous Bavaria doubling for Oregon) is punctuated by bursts of excitement. Read full review
60
The GuardianBenjamin LeeJan 29, 2026
It’s carried through by an all-in Hawke who is really put through the wringer, arguably his most physically gruelling role to date (the upside of a low budget is that his hardships are made to look that much harder), a muscular and entirely persuasive performance that continues his winning streak. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyJan 29, 2026
Although The Weight is low on excitement, it ends on an affecting note that makes you wish the sluggish movie had been given more lucid storytelling, as well as more dramatic and emotional power. Read full review
58
IndieWireRyan LattanzioJan 30, 2026
The Weight could use a tighter edit throughout, but it’s not without one central force pulling the film across its Europe-shot version of the Oregon Trail, and that would be Hawke. Read full review
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