Veronica Mars
Warner Bros. | Release Date: March 14, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews
Positive:
23
Mixed:
12
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzMar 14, 2014
I can't imagine anyone who liked the show not enjoying this film, even though the first half is stronger than the second, which spirals into a frenzy of double- and triple-crossing that's less engaging than watching the characters reconnect, awkwardly but with feeling. Read full review
83
HitfixDrew McWeenyApr 18, 2014
As someone who enjoyed the show enormously while it was on the air, I am relieved to report that the film felt to me like it successfully recaptured the spirit of the show's first season. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzMar 14, 2014
The mystery isn't the reason to watch the film. Bell is. She's the perfect vehicle for Thomas' sharp, sassy writing, able to deliver a pop-culture-infused put-down with ease. And yet she is also vulnerable, something her relationship with her father drives home. Read full review
80
New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanMar 13, 2014
It’s so much fun you may want to put a few bucks aside for a sequel. Read full review
80
Total FilmCatherine SimpsonMar 10, 2014
An emotionally rewarding reunion tour for established fans and a taut, sharp-tongued, character-driven thriller for all, Veronica Mars makes a compelling case for its heroine’s continued existence. Read full review
75
USA TodayClaudia PuigMar 13, 2014
A film noir detective story that works for both devotees of the series and the uninitiated. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubA.A. Dowd Mar 12, 2014
For the most part, Veronica Mars plays like a very solid episode of the series, the kind unlikely to rank among fan favorites. It could, however, serve as fine fuel for a sequel, one that wouldn’t find Veronica resisting — for half of her time on screen — the urge to do what she does best. Keep your hearts (and wallets) open, marshmallows. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanMar 12, 2014
As directed by series creator Rob Thomas, the movie, like the show, is entertainingly fast-talking in a tidy, faux-serious way. Kristen Bell, if anything, has only gained in appeal. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineAbhimanyu DasMar 12, 2014
For all its references to the show's history, the film never panders. It's an evolution of the core concept as opposed to a nostalgia-tinged reproduction, and is all the better for it. Read full review
75
IndieWireJette Kernion Mar 9, 2014
Thomas and his co-writer Diane Ruggiero have penned a self-avowed love letter to the fans of the series, but grounded it in a solid thriller with compelling characters and bright comic moments. Read full review
75
The PlaylistDrew TaylorMar 9, 2014
As pithy and sharp-witted as the screenplay is ... the direction by series creator Rob Thomas ... is oftentimes flat and visually dull. ... And so the movie, is more than anything, a bold and breathless work of fan service, configured by the creators of the original series for the maximum enjoyment of the fans of the original series. Read full review
70
New York Magazine (Vulture)Margaret LyonsMar 17, 2014
Somehow, miraculously, the Veronica Mars movie is definitely not bad. It's pretty damn good, actually. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyMar 13, 2014
It is clear in every frame that the filmmakers and actors really appreciate that loyalty. It doesn't make for a particularly ambitious film, but it is a satisfying one as it moves easy, breezy over familiar terrain. Read full review
70
The DissolveKeith PhippsMar 11, 2014
While the Veronica Mars film feels a bit small and closed-off by big-screen standards, it will no doubt be big and welcoming enough to those who love the series. Read full review
70
Village VoiceStephanie ZacharekMar 11, 2014
If you've never seen the show, it's a great excuse for binge-watching. And if you loved the show, the movie is a welcome homecoming. It has the feeling of a story that has been, against all odds, loved into existence. Probably because that's exactly what it is. Read full review
70
Film.comJenni MillerMar 10, 2014
The winks and nods to fans are deliciously satisfying. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleKimberley JonesMar 12, 2014
Marshmallow nation, you may now exhale: Rob Thomas did ya right. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerDavid HiltbrandMar 14, 2014
Veronica Mars is a great deal more than a bonus episode, but slightly less than a movie. Read full review
63
Washington PostStephanie MerryMar 13, 2014
The movie lacks some of the verve and chemistry that made the series a must-see. I guess that makes the movie more of a good-to-see. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Carl WilsonMar 13, 2014
As a moviegoer, I have to say that that broader success isn’t earned here. You are much better off getting the Season 1 DVD to understand why many of us invested emotionally and financially in this tiny, annoying blonde, whose sparky banter is just a counterweight to her vertigo in a world forever upside down. Read full review
63
ReelViewsJames BerardinelliMar 13, 2014
Kristen Bell shines as Veronica, playing the character as a more mature version of her TV persona. Read full review
63
Rolling StonePeter TraversMar 13, 2014
It's Bell – riding high with the Disney-animated "Frozen" and Showtime's carnal-fixated "House of Lies" – you want to follow anywhere. Bell is irresistible, and she makes us care. Read full review
63
McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMar 11, 2014
For all its fun flourishes and tepid over familiarity, fans are going to dig this. It is, after all, the movie they paid for. They’re the folks who “like this sort of thing.” The rest of us can be forgiven for waiting for it to show up on Netflix — on TV. Read full review
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