Lizzie Borden Took an Ax
  • Network: Lifetime
  • Series Premiere Date: Jan 25, 2014
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 12
  3. Negative: 3 out of 12

Critic Reviews

  1. Newsday
    Reviewed by: Diane Werts
    Jan 23, 2014
    91
    Lizzie Borden takes an ax to many assumptions--including the one that Lifetime movies aren't worth watching.
  2. Kansas City Star
    Reviewed by: Sara Smith
    Jan 24, 2014
    80
    Sometimes slasher flick, sometimes courtroom drama, this Lizzie is a cynically dark, shamefully fun account of an all-American crime.
  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Lori Rackl
    Jan 21, 2014
    75
    Christina Ricci does a haunting turn as notorious hatchet swinger Lizzie Borden.
  5. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Allison Keene
    Jan 23, 2014
    70
    Lizzie Borden Took An Ax: Christina Ricci gave some whacks; and when it all was said and done, it was in fact quite creepy fun.
  6. Boston Herald
    Reviewed by: Mark A. Perigard
    Jan 27, 2014
    67
    After hewing reasonably close to the record, at least for the trial, the film goes off the rails in its postscript.
  7. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Michael Starr
    Jan 21, 2014
    63
    [Ricci] doesn’t add much depth here to her TV portrayal of Lizzie, a rebellious sort (she steals from her stepmother and barks at her strict father) living in a stifling, emotionless house with her sister, Emma. Blame some of that on the movie’s writing.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 10
  3. Negative: 2 out of 10
  1. laceymikesmom
    Sep 25, 2015
    10
    I LOVED this show!!! Please don't cancel it! I looked forward too each & every episode! I personally felt the show was brilliant! Lizzie beingI LOVED this show!!! Please don't cancel it! I looked forward too each & every episode! I personally felt the show was brilliant! Lizzie being just a slip of a girl, yet she also is an ingenious fearless little bad @ss! Whats not to love about it!… Full Review »
  2. A_So_Horror_Fan
    May 23, 2015
    9
    My thoughts: First off, forget even trying to compare this film with the classic Elizabeth Montgomery movie “The Legend Of Lizzie Borden”My thoughts: First off, forget even trying to compare this film with the classic Elizabeth Montgomery movie “The Legend Of Lizzie Borden” because there is nothing there that can compare other than, maybe the stylized interpretations of the facts themselves. Montgomery gives a fab performance that does a good job of separating her portrayal here from her very famous persona on ‘Bewitched’. With equal respect Christina Ricci does a great job of creating a very emotionally charged, yet sociopathic-driven portrayal of Borden that brings more life to Lizzie Borden than I anticipated or even expected. It has been common belief that it was more than just selfish desire that drove Lizzie Borden to kill. She carried with her a dark passenger that created a sinister, cold, disconnected aspect to Lizzie Borden that was probably an unmentioned issue from early in her childhood. Ricci gives us that in calm, calculated edified gesture.

    The stories atmosphere is a gothic blend of surrealism and psychological narrative wrapped around early Americana and polished off with modern folksy, indie rock sounds that are as dark as the story and characters within it. It gives “Lizzie Borden Took An Ax” a modern, fresh energy that excites the viewer. Now there are still down moments within the film that create momentary lulls, but nothing that causes the movie to completely stall. Bonus aspect that really makes this movie watchable is the visionary, creative way the director chose to tell the story balancing between stoic character interactions, and shocking, visceral moments of brutality that are honest to the murder scene’s “truth”. This movie definitely delivered on giving me a great Lizzie Borden film. A definite watch!    … Full Review »
  3. CameraBounceGod
    Feb 21, 2015
    2
    its great casting and light on the incest but other than that it was annoying that someone said "shes pretty she couldn't possibly haveits great casting and light on the incest but other than that it was annoying that someone said "shes pretty she couldn't possibly have committed a crime" ......making it the most annoying thing over the "commoners have always been ugly" line from Desolation of Smaug… Full Review »
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