We Are What We Are
Entertainment One | Release Date: September 27, 2013 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews
Positive:
22
Mixed:
3
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyAug 29, 2013
The film is that rare modern horror movie that doesn’t simply fabricate its scares with the standard bag of postproduction tricks. Instead it builds them via a bracing command of traditional suspense tools... This is polished film craft. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comPeter SobczynskiSep 9, 2014
Intelligently conceived, beautifully executed and filled with surprisingly convincing performances all around... We Are What We Are is that rare horror film that could play at both arthouse and grindhouse theaters without seemingly out of place at either one. Read full review
86
Film.comWilliam GossSep 25, 2013
Among the stronger American horror films of the year. Read full review
85
NPRIan BuckwalterSep 27, 2013
Mickle and co-writer Nick Damici gutted Grau's story to the bone. And they not only built something entirely new on that skeleton — they managed to equal and in many ways surpass the dark, bloody beauty of their source material. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskySep 25, 2013
It plays less like a contemporary horror film than an increasingly gruesome drama, building to a climax — completely original to this version — where the movie’s core themes are expressed through grotesque imagery. Read full review
83
IndieWireEric KohnAug 29, 2013
Make no mistake: Mickle wants to make you jump and scream, but death only arrives in this movie once its world comes to life, which makes each sudden turn all the more intense. Read full review
83
The PlaylistJessica KiangAug 29, 2013
We Are What We Are is just a great yarn, well-acted, elegantly shot and put together cleverly so that even its more visceral delights feel well-earned. Read full review
80
Time Out LondonNigel FloydFeb 25, 2014
Against all the odds, Stake Land director Jim Mickle has cooked up a controlled, affecting ‘companion piece’ that honours the Mexican original while deepening its themes. Read full review
80
EmpireKim NewmanFeb 24, 2014
A crunching, visceral transplant for this cannibal tale from its urban Mexican setting to an American milieu. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzOct 17, 2013
With its lush look, uniformly excellent acting, slow cadences and unhurried unspooling, We Are What We Are rewards your patience without skimping on the goods. Read full review
80
SalonAndrew O'HehirSep 25, 2013
There’s a hint of Terrence Malick (or David Lowery, of “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”) in the often-gorgeous photography of Ryan Samul, and a hint of Shakespearean grandeur in Sage’s portrayal of a dignified and honorable American father infused with an ideology of madness. I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen an exploitation film played so effectively as human tragedy. Read full review
78
Paste MagazineScott WoldApr 3, 2018
When it adheres to this storytelling maxim, Jim Mickle’s gender-flipped remake of Jorge Michel Grau’s well-received 2010 horror flick, We Are What We Are, is a powerfully expressed, atmospheric gem. If only it didn’t flinch from time to time, seemingly unable to resist the temptation to make sure the audience “gets it.” Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMarc SavlovOct 9, 2013
An American remake of Jorge Michel Grau's 2010 Mexican shocker, this Sundance and Fantastic Fest fan favorite is undeniably creepy stuff that’s been given a dusty, American Gothic anti-sheen courtesy of cinematographer Ryan Samul. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerTirdad DerakhshaniOct 11, 2013
"The Silence of the Lambs" gave us an articulate, Euro-suave gourmand cannibal, but served up pretty much the same stew. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesBill StametsOct 10, 2013
A family implodes with a biting commentary on patriarchy. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoOct 3, 2013
The movie saves most of its modest number of jolts for its last quarter or so, which makes them all the more intense. They stick in your craw - and be warned, they're not for the squeamish. Read full review
75
New York PostSara StewartSep 30, 2013
A first-rate example of good storytelling and well-timed — while not excessive — gore. Its disgusting, hilarious conclusion left me eager to see what’ll be next from director Jim Mickle. Read full review
70
The DissolveJen ChaneySep 26, 2013
What Mickle really gets right, and what makes this far and away a more artful and effective work of skin-crawly horror than its predecessor, is atmosphere. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeySep 26, 2013
Like the family, the film occasionally comes apart at the seams. But Childers and Garner are absolutely mesmerizing as Iris and Rose. Read full review
70
Village VoicePete Vonder HaarSep 24, 2013
It isn't until the ending, which turns the squirm amplifier up to 11 and exceeded even my horrific expectations, that we finally see the story's potential realized. Read full review
70
VarietyGuy LodgeAug 29, 2013
That We Are What We Are steers just shy of silliness even at its most outrageous is in large part thanks to a committed cast of non-disposable character actors. Read full review
63
Boston GlobePeter KeoughOct 10, 2013
A grade A, meat-and-potatoes genre flick. Read full review
60
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisSep 26, 2013
It’s all a little silly, but Mr. Mickle’s restrained gravity stifles the impulse to laugh. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJordan HoffmanSep 26, 2013
While ultimately gory — and a little dopey — this is no rowdy, exploitation-y, gross-out picture. This is a film where ambience, glossy imagery and performance are more effective than the splatter. Read full review
60
Time OutJoshua RothkopfSep 24, 2013
Outside of its cracked psychology (well conveyed by papa Bill Sage), We Are What We Are is horror leftovers, neither inedible nor piping hot. Read full review
38
Slant MagazineChuck BowenSep 21, 2013
Jim Mickle plays the scenario deadly straight and unintentionally exposes all of its attendant absurdities, leaving the cast stranded. Read full review
37
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanOct 10, 2013
There’s some fun to be had, as long as your idea of fun includes being grossed out. Read full review
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