51
Metascore
38 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe fact is, the reverse chronology makes Irreversible a film that structurally argues against rape and violence, while ordinary chronology would lead us down a seductive narrative path toward a shocking, exploitative payoff.
- 75Portland OregonianShawn LevyPortland OregonianShawn LevyMade with disarming craft and cunning. Intermixed in the memories it leaves of horror and disgust are glimpses of impressive technique and savvy psychological insight.
- 70Dallas ObserverGregory WeinkaufDallas ObserverGregory WeinkaufWhat isn't hard to say is that Noé really isn't a very talented filmmaker.
- 63Charlotte ObserverLawrence ToppmanCharlotte ObserverLawrence ToppmanAbout halfway through Irreversible comes the longest sustained act of violence I've seen onscreen.
- 60Film ThreatTim MerrillFilm ThreatTim MerrillAnyone with a weak heart or a queasy stomach should stay away. In fact, most everyone everywhere should stay away. But if you still want to see Irreversible, be prepared to see images that will upset and disturb you for a long, long time. Be prepared to be shaken to the very core.
- 40Chicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumChicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumStupid, vicious, and pretentious, though you may find it worth checking out if you want to experiment with your own nervous system.
- 40Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternWall Street JournalJoe MorgensternTo get to the beginning, one must first get through the end, which is almost literally unendurable.
- 25Philadelphia InquirerSteven ReaPhiladelphia InquirerSteven ReaMaybe, you think, there is something daring and brilliant going on here: an excursion into the darkest territories of the human soul. But no. In the end -- or the beginning -- there is no point to all this. Or at least not a point worth making, and making us watch.
- 25Baltimore SunMichael SragowBaltimore SunMichael SragowIrreversible, though, is not a Kubrickian head trip. All Noe has come up with is a turn-on for sadists.
- 20SlateDavid EdelsteinSlateDavid EdelsteinThe 12 scenes of Irreversible--each shot in a single, semi-improvised take--constitute something of a tour de force. But so would being dragged through the streets by a wire noose.